Elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief
Edwin K. Clark has outlined his position on the Petroleum Industry Bill,
awaiting passage into law at the National Assembly, and how it affects the
Niger Delta people.
He spoke at the International Conference Centre, Abuja in a paper
titled ‘PIB and the oil producing areas equation’.
titled ‘PIB and the oil producing areas equation’.
While appreciating the efforts of government to get a deal for
Nigerians in the Bill, in terms of increase in revenue and encouragement of
local content in the industry, Clark named some areas, or existing issues
affecting the citizens of Niger Delta region, which the current Bill has failed
to address.
Nigerians in the Bill, in terms of increase in revenue and encouragement of
local content in the industry, Clark named some areas, or existing issues
affecting the citizens of Niger Delta region, which the current Bill has failed
to address.
These, according to him, include increase in
transparency and accountability in the process of licensing and tendering in
the oil industry, stoppage of damage to the Niger Delta environment, economic
empowerment of the people of the area, and increase in the funding of
development activities in the area.
transparency and accountability in the process of licensing and tendering in
the oil industry, stoppage of damage to the Niger Delta environment, economic
empowerment of the people of the area, and increase in the funding of
development activities in the area.
Clark, who express gratitude for the opportunity
given him to air his views at the conference, declared “as a Nigerian and a
nationalist, one must agree that a significant overhaul is needed in order to
take this country forward, but as a Niger Deltan, I cannot stand by and merely
be silent and allow the mistakes of the past to remain unaddressed, or even
re-enforce. And I will not allow further mistakes to be made to compound the
suffering and marginalisation of our people.”
given him to air his views at the conference, declared “as a Nigerian and a
nationalist, one must agree that a significant overhaul is needed in order to
take this country forward, but as a Niger Deltan, I cannot stand by and merely
be silent and allow the mistakes of the past to remain unaddressed, or even
re-enforce. And I will not allow further mistakes to be made to compound the
suffering and marginalisation of our people.”
Also of importance to the elder statesman is the
issue of the enpowerment of the Niger Delta people on activities in the oil
industry in the manner of engaging them as true stakeholders – a consideration
that should be naturally given to them, over and above other Nigerians.
issue of the enpowerment of the Niger Delta people on activities in the oil
industry in the manner of engaging them as true stakeholders – a consideration
that should be naturally given to them, over and above other Nigerians.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the provisions
of a Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, saying this was not as
not far reaching enough. “Let there be a quota system that measures the participation
of Niger Delta indigenes in all organisation involved in the petroleum sector
in the region, including the international oil companies, IOCs, Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and indigenous oil companies,” he said.
of a Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, saying this was not as
not far reaching enough. “Let there be a quota system that measures the participation
of Niger Delta indigenes in all organisation involved in the petroleum sector
in the region, including the international oil companies, IOCs, Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and indigenous oil companies,” he said.
He also harped on the need for more funding of
development activities in the region, especially all projects presently
undertaken by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and the Niger Delta
River Basin Authority, to support the development of the region.
development activities in the region, especially all projects presently
undertaken by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and the Niger Delta
River Basin Authority, to support the development of the region.
Clark maintained that educational initiatives,
such as the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, should be geared towards the
indigenes of the Niger Delta, with at least 50% of Scholarships being reserved
for his people, decrying the situation at the moment, whereby only between 10%
and 20% opportunities were allowed for the region. Worse still, he said, the
candidates from the region were considered eligible only if they had made a
minimum of Second Class (Upper Division), or higher, for post-graduate studies,
whereas the requirements were relaxed for candidates from other non-oil
producing areas.
such as the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, should be geared towards the
indigenes of the Niger Delta, with at least 50% of Scholarships being reserved
for his people, decrying the situation at the moment, whereby only between 10%
and 20% opportunities were allowed for the region. Worse still, he said, the
candidates from the region were considered eligible only if they had made a
minimum of Second Class (Upper Division), or higher, for post-graduate studies,
whereas the requirements were relaxed for candidates from other non-oil
producing areas.
He appealed to government – particularly the law
makers (members of the National Assembly) presently at the mill with the PIB to
also, consider the Petroleum Equalization Fund – to ensure uniform pricing of
petroleum products through out the country. “Those of us in the Niger Delta
often experience prices for PMS, AGO and Kerosene, far exceeding the prices at
the pump elsewhere-not only when compared to Lagos, but even when compared to
areas of the North, where the products have had to travel far greater
distances,” he asserted.
makers (members of the National Assembly) presently at the mill with the PIB to
also, consider the Petroleum Equalization Fund – to ensure uniform pricing of
petroleum products through out the country. “Those of us in the Niger Delta
often experience prices for PMS, AGO and Kerosene, far exceeding the prices at
the pump elsewhere-not only when compared to Lagos, but even when compared to
areas of the North, where the products have had to travel far greater
distances,” he asserted.
Seeing this as a great irony, considering that
the products came out from their backyard, he cited it as another source of
corruption, with the savings from the money which government provides for the
re-imbursement of the differences in transportations, “being stolen and payment
selectively passed on to the end consumers”
the products came out from their backyard, he cited it as another source of
corruption, with the savings from the money which government provides for the
re-imbursement of the differences in transportations, “being stolen and payment
selectively passed on to the end consumers”
Chief Clark welcomes the idea of the Petroleum
Host Community Fund, HCF, which was proposed in the new Bill, but expressed
hope that the 10% of the net profit by Oil Companies, meant to be paid into the
Fund for the development of host Communities, would be implemented faithfully.
Host Community Fund, HCF, which was proposed in the new Bill, but expressed
hope that the 10% of the net profit by Oil Companies, meant to be paid into the
Fund for the development of host Communities, would be implemented faithfully.
With such measures in place “the interests of the
Host Communities and those of the Oil industries, will be more closely
aligned,” he stated, urging government to come out with the new law that would,
“for the first time, begin to benefit Nigerians, not minding the feelings of
the IOCs, since it was natural that the IOCs would complain, as their revenue
was going to drop considerably”.
Host Communities and those of the Oil industries, will be more closely
aligned,” he stated, urging government to come out with the new law that would,
“for the first time, begin to benefit Nigerians, not minding the feelings of
the IOCs, since it was natural that the IOCs would complain, as their revenue
was going to drop considerably”.
Other areas Clark would want the government to
look at, and redeem urgently, is the 18% derivation Fund agreed upon by all
Nigerians at the National Political Reform Conference of 2005, to be paid to
the Niger Delta states, which was yet to be implemented, to date, as well as
the funds intended to be made available to NDDC for the ongoing project on the
East-West Road, which were yet to be released and which had stalled activities
there.
look at, and redeem urgently, is the 18% derivation Fund agreed upon by all
Nigerians at the National Political Reform Conference of 2005, to be paid to
the Niger Delta states, which was yet to be implemented, to date, as well as
the funds intended to be made available to NDDC for the ongoing project on the
East-West Road, which were yet to be released and which had stalled activities
there.
He recalled in this regard, that most projects in
Abuja and even at Minna Airport in Niger state, were funded by the Federal
government, by direct payment to the Julius Berger Company that handled them,
in terms of barrels of crude oil, during the Babangida and Obasanjo era and
wondered why the same government should decline such arrangement in the case of
the NDDC road projects, resorting to loans, instead.
Abuja and even at Minna Airport in Niger state, were funded by the Federal
government, by direct payment to the Julius Berger Company that handled them,
in terms of barrels of crude oil, during the Babangida and Obasanjo era and
wondered why the same government should decline such arrangement in the case of
the NDDC road projects, resorting to loans, instead.
On the spirit of equal participation, Chief Clark
urged government to consider including in the PIB, autonomous Oil Exploration
Agency, OEA, which would encourage the exploration of oil in other parts of the
nation, other than the Niger Delta Region, to address the present consternation
arising from the lack of attention by the NNPC to these areas.
urged government to consider including in the PIB, autonomous Oil Exploration
Agency, OEA, which would encourage the exploration of oil in other parts of the
nation, other than the Niger Delta Region, to address the present consternation
arising from the lack of attention by the NNPC to these areas.
While appealing to Nigerians, especially those
living outside the oil producing areas, to show sympathy and identify with the
plight of those in the oil producing region, particularly the coastal areas, he
regretted that “it is most insulting for people to claim that oil produced in
the Niger Delta is a natural gift to all Nigerians”. He insisted that the land,
as well as the oil and gas produced in the Niger Delta, belonged to the people
of the region.
living outside the oil producing areas, to show sympathy and identify with the
plight of those in the oil producing region, particularly the coastal areas, he
regretted that “it is most insulting for people to claim that oil produced in
the Niger Delta is a natural gift to all Nigerians”. He insisted that the land,
as well as the oil and gas produced in the Niger Delta, belonged to the people
of the region.
Chief Clark pointed out: “We are all still
brothers and sisters living in a united Nigeria”, adding that what worries him
most now, was the total exclusion of the Niger Delta people from the social and
economic benefit of the oil and gas, bestowed upon their land by God, reminding
all that the same Almighty God put the people of the region in the difficult
terrain, which has never been developed by revenue from other areas of the
country.
brothers and sisters living in a united Nigeria”, adding that what worries him
most now, was the total exclusion of the Niger Delta people from the social and
economic benefit of the oil and gas, bestowed upon their land by God, reminding
all that the same Almighty God put the people of the region in the difficult
terrain, which has never been developed by revenue from other areas of the
country.
Criminal Negligence
Clark described as criminal, the neglect of the
oil producing region by successive governments since oil was struck there in
commercial quantities, in 1956.
oil producing region by successive governments since oil was struck there in
commercial quantities, in 1956.
He declared, “Oil was first discovered in
commercial quantities at Oloibiiri in Bayelsa state in 1956. However, if you go
to Oloibiriri today, you will not only see that it is a devastated town, but
also that it has been criminally neglected by the federal government – no
light, no water; in short, there has been no effort by the federal government
to invest in the area…”
commercial quantities at Oloibiiri in Bayelsa state in 1956. However, if you go
to Oloibiriri today, you will not only see that it is a devastated town, but
also that it has been criminally neglected by the federal government – no
light, no water; in short, there has been no effort by the federal government
to invest in the area…”
Clark said this was shocking and most
disappointing, considering the huge contributions oil had made to the
well-being of the country and the level of devastation and damage of the
ecology and the environment of that region resulting from oil.
disappointing, considering the huge contributions oil had made to the
well-being of the country and the level of devastation and damage of the
ecology and the environment of that region resulting from oil.
The elder statesman noted that it was in the
context of the criminal and persistent neglect of the region that the Kaiama
Declaration by the Ijaw Youths, was made in December, 1998, when a decision was
taken to struggle for resource control, freedom, self determination and
ecological justice.
context of the criminal and persistent neglect of the region that the Kaiama
Declaration by the Ijaw Youths, was made in December, 1998, when a decision was
taken to struggle for resource control, freedom, self determination and
ecological justice.
He maintained that “the federal government,
instead of looking into the demands of the militants, consequently occupied the
creeks in December, 1998, and January, 1999, mobilised forces and attacked the
youths, who were making peaceful demonstrations at the expiration of their
ultimatum given to the oil companies, leading to the deaths of many of them at
Odi, Kaiama and Yenegoa.
instead of looking into the demands of the militants, consequently occupied the
creeks in December, 1998, and January, 1999, mobilised forces and attacked the
youths, who were making peaceful demonstrations at the expiration of their
ultimatum given to the oil companies, leading to the deaths of many of them at
Odi, Kaiama and Yenegoa.
He remarked that ever since then, there had been
little progress and the Niger Delta still remained neglected and
under-developed. According to him,”the East-West Road is hardly progressing,
there are no Federal Universities, save the Federal University at Otuoke and
the Federal University of Petroleum Resources at Effurum; there is mass unemployment-the
list goes on.”
little progress and the Niger Delta still remained neglected and
under-developed. According to him,”the East-West Road is hardly progressing,
there are no Federal Universities, save the Federal University at Otuoke and
the Federal University of Petroleum Resources at Effurum; there is mass unemployment-the
list goes on.”
Culled from the Sweetcrude Reports, Sunday, November 18th,
2012.
2012.
