…Appeals to non-littoral LGAs in Akwa Ibom State
…Makes case for equitable distribution of oil derivation funds
The Executive Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Council, High Chief Williams Mkpah has made a case for the equitable distribution of the 3% oil derivation funds to oil producing areas in the State as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), with particular reference to Ibeno LGA, whom he noted where the major oil exploration area in Akwa Ibom State.
He made his position known in an interaction with newsmen in his office recently. Mkpah noted that shallow water production which falls within the boundaries of Ibeno, Mbo and Easterm Obolo LGAs constituents what the PIA describes as Littoral (coastal) Local Governments with the entire pipelines, oil wells and flow stations littered over the coastline of these LGAs, making them the major host communities while also stating that the only things the IOCs have upland is their tank farms, air strip and accomodation facilities.
Mkpah further noted that after a careful study of the PIA, he considered it imperfect as some aspects of it were contradictory such as its provisions granting IOCs the right to determine who to incorporate as a host community while also stipulating that payment of the 3% oil derivation must be based on the location of the oil wells. Furthermore he noted that in as much as the IOCs have the backing of the law to bring in more communities into the equation, the crux of the matter was in questioning from who’s oil the IOCs will extract the 3% to pay all the communities they’ve incorporated. He advised Exxon Mobil to think outside the box and probably pay those non oil producing communities from its own reserves instead of paying other LGs from a portion of Ibeno’s oil allocation, irrespective of the fact that he isn’t averse to more communities being brought in.
To further buttress his point, The Ibeno Council Boss categorically stated that Onna and Esit Eket seized to be oil producing areas when they were detached from the Old Eket while Eket LGA also lost their oil producing status when Ibeno was removed from them. He likened this scenario to the case of Cross River State who no more gets oil derivation funds after Akwa Ibom State was split from it because the entire oil that made the then Cross River State an oil producing State is found in Akwa Ibom State. Therefore tagging a sister LG an oil producing area by association is grossly unfair.
When quizzed on the actual cause of the unending clamour, High Chief Mkpah made it clear that the problem emanated when these non-littoral LGAs insisting on benefiting from the oil derivation which birthed the idea of remapping the State which he noted was brought about by the PIA and would infringe upon the constitutional provisions. He pointed out that this implies that for Eket, Onna and Esit Eket to be littoral, they must buy into some parts of Ibeno which would involve a long and rigorous process before Ibeno can be annexed into them and that would also be dependent on Ibeno actually accepting to be annexed.
On the citing of Exxon Mobil in Ibeno, he stressed that the agreement for its establishment was signed between Ibeno and the Governor of the then South Eastern State, Brigadier U.J Esuene in 1970 who happened to be an Eket son and ruled beyond ethnic barriers. He reiterated that Esuene being a man of integrity recognised where the actual oil was being drilled and graciously approved the citing of Exxon Mobil facilities in Ibeno and bemoaned attempts by the younger generation to benefit from what is not their due.
Against the backdrop of what has been described by him as gross marginalisation of Ibeno people, High Chief Mkpah noted that venturing into politics away from his private life was to afford him a platform to speak for his people who he stated were minorities. Democracy he noted was a dynamic concept that had to do with majority of person, either by decision making, ethnicity or tribe and that in democratic settings, minorities always end up being victims hence his clamour for equitable distribution of oil derivation funds to Ibeno, the major oil exploration area in the State. He maintained that he wants to be remembered as that man who came at a timr of necessity
On his purported rift with Hon. Akan Tommey, the Chairman of Eket LGC, High Chief Mkpah dismissed the allegation, stating that such was the figment of the imagination of mischief makers as he has a very smooth, cordial, robust and brotherly rapport with Hon. Akan Tommey whom he described as his younger brother and one of his most beloved colleagues. He cautioned the media to desist from publishing sensational stories aimed at creating discord between him and his Eket counterpart.
