Derivation fund: Ijaw group dissociates self from clamour for new formula

Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSCON) Ijaw chapter, Delta State, has disassociated itself from the demand of the payment of 27 per cent of the 13 per cent derivation fund to oil producing communities in Ijaw communities in the state by another group, claiming to be Hoscon Ijaw chapter.Host Communities of Nigeria, Ijaw Chapter, in a statement issued in Warri, while reacting to the demand and threat of the said group to disrupt oil production and exploration activities in oil producing communities in Ijaw areas if the demand was not met, reasoned that there was no other viable way in which oil funds could be paid to oil producing communities better than the existing Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Areas Commission (DESOPADEC) and therefore, would not be part of plans to destroy the existing DESOPADEC under any guise.The statement was jointly signed by Chief J.G. Orubu (Chairman); Chief Evans Etimigba (Secretary); Comrade Clifford .S.O. Atijere (Youth Leader); Madam Queen Ajemitolu (Women Leader); and Messio .I.K. German (PRO)The group, in the statement, noted that the statement credited to the chairman of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Alias Mbam, which stated that the 13 per cent oil derivation funds belonged to host communities, was causing sleepless night in most oil producing communities in Delta State.The group disclosed that a letter jointly signed by oil communities of Ijaw, Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko and Ndokwa had stated their position on the matter to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, adding 'We believe that the RMAFC will not go to the various communities and dump the money in the town halls; rather, we believe this money can only be paid through oil commission as it is being done already. Therefore, the ethnic Ijaw chapter, Hoscon Delta State chapter disassociate ourselves from this demand by the emergency HOSCON,' the statement added.The group, however, urged Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to re-instate the board of DESOPADEC for speedy execution of the 2012 budget.It insisted that the group that issued the said warning was not recognized by both the state and national chapters of Ijaw host communities.Again, the statement frowned at a publication where some Ijaw communities were added to some Ijaw oil-producing areas without the approval of Hostcon Ijaw chapter, Delta State, stating that the act was fraudulent and could lead to crisis, as it noted that Ogulagha, Gbaramatu, Egbema, Ogbe-Ijoli, Diebiri, Iduwini, Kou, Egrangbene and Ingbilebiri were the 10 accredited Ijaw Kingdoms in HOSCON, Ijaw Chapter, Delta State.
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