By Emman Ovuakporie
A Bill seeking an increase in 13 percent derivation to 50 percent is among bills scheduled in the constitutional review of the 1999 constitution (as amended).
TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the Bill if finally passed via the constitution amendment process will enable oil producing states earn 50percent as against the current 13percent derivatiion.
This is just as the President Muhammdu Buhari led Government endorsed the Petroleum Industry Bill otherwise known as PIB now known as the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA adjudged to be the worst imposition on Niger Delta region with a paltry 3percent derivative.
The Bill, sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Caucus Leader, Rep Kingsley Chinda which has been introduced in the House of Representatives is expected to go through the rigours of the constitution amendment review committee headed by Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase who has no sympathy for anything that supports the region.
Apparently sensing the negativity the PIA has generated, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has reasoned that the PIA by way of amendment can still be rectified to address the grievances of Niger Deltans.
Lawan had told reporters on Wednesday in Abuja: “The host communities are winners as well. It may not be necessarily exactly what some of them had hoped.
“But, from zero to over $500million…and with time, such issues will be further addressed.
“It is about how we can prudently and transparently deploy this $500 million in the host communities.
“This time around, there should be no excuses for anybody to tamper with this money. The host communities have suffered enough.
The Bill with the long title of ‘A BiLL :FOR AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 162(2) AND (4) OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999, CAP C23, LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA, 2004.Sponsored by REP. O. K. CHINDA.ENACTED by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as follows:1.
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, Cap C23, 2. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 hereinafter referred to as “the3. Principal Act” is hereby amended as set out in this section. 4. 2. Section 162 (2) of the Principal Act is amended by replacing the word “thirteen” in the proviso thereto with the word “fifty” immediately after the words “less than” and deleting the word “natural” immediately before the word “resources” and adding the word “whatsoever” immediately after the word “resources”, that is to say: S.162(2): “The President, upon receipt of advice from the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, shall table before the National Assembly proposals for revenue allocation from the Federation Account, and in determining the formula, the National Assembly shall take into account, the allocation principles, especially those of population, equality of States; internal revenue generation, land mass, terrain as well as population density:
Provided that the principle of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than “fifty” percent of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any resources “whatsoever”.
Section 162 (4) of the Principal Act is also amended by inserting or adding a new subsection 4 to be numbered as (4)(a) immediately after the subsisting Section 162 (4) of the Principal Act, that is to say: S.162(4)(a) “For purposes of derivation provisions in this Section, the continental shelf of a State shall be deemed to be part of 25. that State”. EXPLANATORY NOTEThis Bill essentially seeks to increase the revenue allocation accruable to States from any mineral resources from thirteen to 50 percent.
Niger Delta Group Declares Buhari, Sylva unwanted guests
Ijaw youths from the states in the Niger Delta region have declared that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, are no longer welcome to the region over their perceived roles in the passage and signing of the Petroleum Industry Bill into law, despite the wide condemnation that greeted the bill from Nigerians.
While conceding that the duo of Buhari and Sylva have the constitutional rights to move to any parts of the country, the youths insisted that “their movement into the six states of the Niger Delta will be welcome with boos and disgraceful jeers due to their show of disregard to the plights and cry of the people of the region over the years”.