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Derivation Funds Should Be Managed By Traditional Rulers,Says Uvwie Monarch
By Ambrose Ologide
The Chairman of Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON), Delta State chapter, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Sideso (JP) OON, Abe 1, has suggested that oil derivation funds should be managed by traditional rulers of oil producing communities.
Abe 1’s suggestion was contained in a key note address during the meeting of traditional rulers of oil mineral producing communities otherwise known as TROMPCON in Delta State at his palace in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area on Wednesday November 18, 2020.
The Uvwie monarch also called for restructuring of Nigeria as he advocated that the federating units should be allowed to own, control and manage their natural resources.
“This meeting should suggest way forward. It is my earnest suggestion that the management of the 13% derivation fund be reviewed.
“Instead of establishing agencies with huge bureaucratic cost. attention should be on community trust funds, where the traditional rulers will be the supervisors of the funds,” he stated.
The Ovie had earlier berated both the state and federal government interventionist agencies for their poor service delivery to the people.
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“It is an open truth that these commissions have failed to meet the yearnings of the people of the Niger – Delta Region ”
“It is more worrisome where the ownership, control and management of oil resource is centralized, whereas other mineral resources in the Northern States are left for the various states to own, control and manage. A case in point is the gold mineral found in Zamfara State,” the Ovie added.
He then declared that the people of the Niger Delta Region should be allowed to own, control and manage their oil resources such that they pay royalty and taxes to the federal government.
The Uvwie monarch had earlier appreciated both the state and federal governments for their provision of palliatives to the people during the lock down people.