The governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has come hard on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for allowing some states like Zamfara to mine and manage gold and other solid minerals in their domains, while making oil and gas in the Niger Delta region national resources.
The governor who stated this at his quarterly interaction with journalists in Asaba described such policy as “discriminatory”.
He said all the south-south states were united in the quest for the restructuring of the country.
He said that there was need to restructure the country to pave the way for the devolution of more powers to states and local governments.
Okowa said Nigeria is not making progress as it ought to because the issues of restructuring and resource control are yet to be addressed.
He stated that restructuring and resource control as well as security would form a major plank of the discussion at a meeting between a presidential delegation and leaders of the south-south billed for Port Harcourt today, Friday.
“The south-south governors have been in the forefront for the devolution of power to states and local governments.
“Restructuring, resource control and security of the country, especially in the Niger Delta will be a major topic of discussion at the Presidential parley coming up in Port Harcourt,” he said.
Responding to a question on the gold deposit in Zamfara State and the decision of the state government to control the resource, the governor said there exist acts of the national assembly that deal with oil production and solid minerals.
“We cannot apply laws in such a manner that it becomes discriminatory because you cannot mine solid minerals somewhere in Zamfara and you can’t allow Niger Delta to manage their oil,’’ he said.
Under the Nigerian constitution, all mineral resources in the country are controlled by the federal government.
On the complaints from oil-producing communities, the governor said there was an ongoing process to ensure that what got to the communities became statutory and enshrined in the Constitution or in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
Okowa said that governors in the South-South were doing well in managing the 13 per cent derivation fund to their states.
“The kind of money we spend, especially on road construction in the Niger Delta is very huge compared to what other states spend and we also spend lots of money securing oil facilities and keeping peace in the region.
“We have our DESOPADEC managing the derivation funds and I am convinced that they are doing their best to make life better for the oil-producing communities.
“We have been short-changed severally because we are not in control of how the funds are distributed. There is a lot of money being owed us on derivation and we are working very hard to get the Federal Government to pay us because it will help us so much in our budget to provide more for the oil producing communities.
“If every community rises up to control their resources then there will be chaos and anarchy,” he said.
The governor hinted that the state government may employ more teachers in the first quarter of 2021 to cater for newly established technical colleges being constructed across the state.
“In 2021 we will employ more teachers basically in Science and Technical Education. We will employ according to needs and not according to pressure.”
He said his administration had completed many road projects, including the Ovwor-Effurun-Otor Bridge in Ughelli South Council Area, adding that the government had also awarded and mobilised contractors for two major storm drainage projects in Warri, Uvwie and environs.
“We have mobilised them and I hope they work well in this dry season because without tackling the drainage systems in Warri, any road constructed there will not last,’’ he stated.
