Skip to main content

Senate Blocks Move To Recognise Kogi As An Oil-producing State.

      Nigeria's senate during  a plenary session on Wednesday, blocked move to recognize Kogi as an oil-producing state.  The  lawmaker representing Kogi East Senatorial District, Senator Isaac Alfa had moved the motion titled, ‘Need to Recognise Kogi State as an Oil-Producing State’. According to him, Shell BP (now SPDC), Elf (now Total Fina Elf) and Agip Energy commenced oil exploration  in   1952  in Odeke, Echeno, Ihile, Anocha/Uchuchu, Omabo, Ikah, Iregwu and Ujeh, all in Ibaji of the present day Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State. 

     According to him, the companies collectively drilled 25 exploration wells, two appraisal wells and eight core drill wells in  Anambra Basin, with the majority of the wells in Kogi State.He further alleged that  oil  exploration  in Kogi was abandoned until July 18, 2001 when a former governor of the state, Abubakar Audu, wrote to then-Group Managing Director of  the NNPC to remind him of the discovery of crude oil at Odeke, Echeno and Anocha.

     However the move to recognise Kogi as an oil-producing state was rejected by the Senate, who however unanimously approved the prayer  urging  Kogi, Anambra and Enugu states to resolve their border  disputes. Senator Magnus Abe stated that the Senate had no power to declare any state  an oil-producing state, citing Section 162 of the constitution.

      Abe said, “In this entire motion, my colleague has failed to tell the people how much has been paid into the federation account from Kogi State that will entitle them to 13 per cent (derivation benefit). Without that, a declaration by the Senate won’t entitle them to anything. There is a big  difference between oil-producing and oil-processing. They may be an oil-processing state but they have not contributed to the revenue of this country from oil. When they do that, they will become an oil producing state... 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ebonyi Partners Indian Government To Establish Electric Car Assembly Plant, and Others

Ebonyi State Government is seeking to partner with Indian Government to establish an Electric Automobile Assembly plant in the state. To this end, Governor David Umahi, paid a visit to the Indian High Commission in Abuja on Wednesday where he was received by the High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Abhay Thakur. The Governor, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze was there to seek for partnership on importation and establishment of an assembling plant of Electric Mode Automobiles. Speaking during the visit, Mr Umahi noted that Electric Mode Automobile is not only a technology of tomorrow but a technology that cuts cost. He further revealed that his key interest in the partnership includes importation of the sample electric powered tricycles, buses, motorcycles and cars while establishment of assembly plant for same will follow. The governor enumerated other areas which he equally wants partnership. The areas include agriculture with poultry...

Mother Fakes Son’s Kidnap To Extort N5m From Husband

A mother of two has been arrested by the Department of State Security Service for allegedly kidnapping her own son and demanding a ransom of N5 million from her husband. Security and family sources confirmed that the woman identified as Baraka, connived with one Rukayya and another accomplice who called the husband, pretending to be the kidnapper, and demanded the N5 million ransom. Police Public Relations Officer, Asp Bitrus Noam, confirmed the incident, saying the case was with the Department of State Security Service. A source close to the family confided in our correspondent that the woman’s husband who was left in a state of confusion and reported the case to the SSS after negotiating with the fake abductor to pay N2 million. “He alerted the SSS after repeated calls and text massages discussing the said ransom. “Investigation by the SSS operatives led to the arrest of the mother who confessed to have stage-managed her son’s kidnap,” he said, revealing that the accused wife had ea...

Obasanjo blasts Awujale of Ijebuland

Kabiyesi you are petty and a liar - Olusegun Obasanjo's open letter to The Awujale & Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, December 30, 2016 His Royal Highness, Oba Alaiyeluwa S. K. Adetona, The Awujale & Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Adetona Road, P. O. Box 263, Ijebu Ode. The extract from your Autobiography “Awujale: The Autobiography of Alaiyeluwa Oba S. K. Adetona, Ogbagba II”, published by Mosuro Publishers 2010, pp. 187-195, which I attach to this letter was presented to me for my attention. Your assertion in the publication was a tissue of lies and untruths. Olopade is one of my best friends and yes, I would be at his birthday celebration but I would not have invited Mike, your cousin, to meet me anywhere other than my office or official residence as President of Nigeria. Kabiyesi, do you think I would set the press up to capture me and Mike in a photograph for the newspapers? That would be puerile of me as President. Of course, I could not say that Mike could not...