Anambra denied 13% derivation 8years after attaining oil producing status

The Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCON) has called on the federal government to ensure Anambra state received all its benefits as an oil producing state in the country.

National President of the body, Dr Mike Emuh made the call weekend during the inauguration of local government council chapters’ leadership of the group.

He said HOSCON was worried that since August 2012 when Anambra was pronounced an oil producing state by the federal government, it had not benefited from the 13 per cent derivation like other NDDC states.

He disclosed that the state produced about 13 metric tonnes of crude oil per day, appealling to President Mohammadu Buhari to graciously permit that it got its due, including having members in the NDDC board, as well as benefit from local content policy and gas flaring payments.

He said, “People of the communities in the state qualified for membership of HOSCON have not been able to benefit from the agricultural grants and loans of the federal government as their members in other states.

“Why is it that Anambra is not getting derivation, why is it that the students from the state don’t get scholarship from the companies operating here when there are oil producing companies here?

“I want to join Anambra people in agitating for what belongs to them, which is benefiting from 13 per cent derivation as an oil producing state in Nigeria as contained in the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

According to Emuh, the inauguration of Local Governments Council chapters was to further take the awareness to the grassroots and mobilise the impacted locals to join in agitating for their rights.

He further revealed that the Federal Government through Central Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Industry has waiver, special funds and input for people of HOSCON for agricultural diversification targeted at ensuring the people benefitted maximally.

Also speaking, National Financial Officer of HOSCON and leader of the group in the state, Mrs Joy Igboka said effort to set up the structure had been on since 2013, stressing the need for government and elites in the state to join the masses as represented by HOSCON to get what was due to the state.

“We in HOSCON have done our best but our government, the elite and the members of National Assembly have to speak up on this exclusion we are passing through.

“The governor has to interface with us because when the benefit starts coming it is the government of the day that will control it, the masses of Anambra should get what their contemporaries in other states are getting,” she said.