HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT: HOST COMMUNITY FUND: NORTHERN LAWMAKERS ARE IGNORANTLY WRONG

I am not from South South. I am from South East and my State produces Oil, but the State is ruled by somebody from other part that does not produce oil. So, oil money given to my State is not benefitting my people who produce the oil. My Town was the manufacturing hog of the Nation as virtually everything was being made locally in that Town. But what do you see there? It is widely reported that my Town called “Japan of Africa” is the dirtiest Town in the world. This was announced in BBC by not Nigerians, not Africans, but Britons themselves. Every traveler in the globe knows that “Japan of Africa” is the world's dirtiest Town. Yet, the area produces oil for which the State Government collects every month, 13% Derivation. What does the Governor do with the Money? Visit “Japan of Africa” and see things yourself? Suppose the 13% is given to the host communities. Then towns like “Japan of Africa” would have collected the money to develop the Town not relying on the Governor of the State that does not come from the Clan producing oil.

So, Northern Lawmakers are not informed in stopping “Host Community, Town”. What they rather should fight against is State Government collecting the money onbehalf of Host Communities. Go to Niger Delta, despite the huge sum being collected by State Governments, the Oil producing communities still wallow in abject poverty. Why? Because most Governors of the Oil Producing States in the Niger Delta, are not from oil producing communities. So, the oil producing communities suffer inspite of the oil they produce. The Governors eat and lavish the money. Let us take them one by one:

1) Rivers State Governor is from Ikwere. Ikwere produces less than 3% of Oil produced in Rivers State. River-rine Communities of Kalabari and Ogoni produce more than 95% of the oil in Rivers State. 13% Derivation does not benefit Ogonis and Kalabaris. The Governor lavishes and personalizes the money due to the aberration called 13% Derivation.

2) Godswill Akpabio is from Ikot Ekpene. Ekot Ekpene produces virtually no oil atall in Akwa-Ibom. Yet, Oron, Eket, Ibuno and other oil producing communities languish in abject poverty and neglect despite the 13% Derivation.

3) Liyel Imoke is from Itigidi. Itidi produces no oil atall, none is none. Yet, riverines and Bakasi Penusula as oil producing communities languish in abject penury in Cross River State.

4) Emmanuel Uduaghan is from Warri South, Itshekiri, a Yoruba Community in Warri. Itshekiri produces less than 10% of the oil in Delta State. The Ijaws and some parts of Urhobos produce the oil majority. But visit Ijaw land in Delta, you pity for the level of degradation of human life despite the 13% Derivation.

5) Rochas Okorocha is from Orlu. Orlu has 0% oil in Imo State. The entire Oil comes from Ohaji – Egbema – Oguta – Umuagwo. Visit these communities and you will cry despite the oil money Imo State receives.

6) Adam Oshomhole is from Auchi. Auchi produces 0% Oil in Edo State. Oshomhole is building roads and trying far above other Governors of the State, no doubt. But visit the oil producing Communities in Edo State, you will cry for the extent of poverty and deprivation.

7) The Governor of Ondo State (Mimiko) is not from Okitipupa and Ijaw Communities including Ayetoro. Visit Ayetoro and see the extent of life degradation. Visit Okitipupa and Ijaw Communities and you shed tears immediately despite the 13% Derivation.

8) Ahamefula Theodore Orji is from Umuahia. Umuahia is in Old Bende of Abia State which produces 0% Oil in Abia State. Visit Ukwa and villages of Ngwaland that produce the oil and you shed tears on seeing the level of poverty and life degradation despite the 13% Oil Derivation. Ngwa is the largest singular ethnic Dialect in Africa by population, Landmass and number of villages. Ugwunagbo produces large volume of Oil, and gas in Ngwaland which is heavily much and untapped. Yet, the people are impoverished by misgovernance despite the 13% Derivation.

9) The only Governor in the whole ten States of the Niger Delta that come from rich oil producing community is Bayelsa State Governor. But poverty is the worst in the oil producing communities of Bayelsa State despite the 13% Derivation.

So, what the Northern Lawmakers should be fighting for is that the Oil producing Communities should collect the money from the Federal purse directly without mediation by State Governors which cannot do anything to alleviate the sufferings of the Oil producing Communities except they are from there. Even if they are from the oil producing communities, they cannot help themselves if the person has no soft spot for the suffering masses. So, Northern Lawmakers should de-emphasize 13% Derivation fund, but emphasize or harp on Host Community Fund, which is really right. Host Community Fund should be encouraged. 13% Derivation should be discouraged. The emphasis should be to develop the oil producing communities which have been neglected hitherto by the Governors who are not from there, though they are from Niger Delta. Being from Niger Delta is quite different from being from Oil Producing Communities. This emphasis should be supported by Northern Lawmakers.

It has a positive ripple effect on solid mineral producing Communities of Northern Nigeria. Focusing on oil is unarguably a curse on solid Mineral Producing Communities of Northern Nigeria. Every part of Northern Nigeria is simmering with solid minerals which make it utter foolishness to continue to depend on oil. Most oil producing communities are very poor not only in Nigeria, but in the world. Riches do not respond to endowment of natural deposits, but rather to skill acquirers who have the expertise to turn natural deposits to products required to generate needed money.

Saudi Arabians are very poor despite oil money because the Sheiks grab all monies and dictate who gets what, thus, leaving the rank and file in genteel richness. Venezuelans are very poor despite rich oil production, why? Libyans are very, very poor despite oil, why? The leaders of Arab world corner the money and dole out the much they would like, to their subjects to dance attendance on them. Nigeria is not an exception to the rule. What can salvage Nigeria is not oil money, but Leadership to use the oil money to develop the industrial and other sectors of the economy; leadership to look squandermania and corruption to the face and tell self that it must be conquered in Nigeria for the Nation to move forward.

Nigeria, right from October 1, 1960 till date, has not got that leadership. I am not sorry to say this.

That Goodluck Jonathan is from Niger Delta is much more a curse to them than otherwise. East-West Round and other major Federal Roads in Niger Delta and hinterlands and industries in the area are moribund, dilapidated and potholed to abject rejection. Yet, Goodluck Jonathan is from Niger Delta. Why? Because Goodluck Jonathan is far from being the leader Nigeria needs.” I am not sorry to say so. Obasanjo is a sordid dictator and most corrupt leader in Nigeria. I am not sorry to say so. IBB is corruption personified. I am not sorry to say so.

What I am saying is that Northern Lawmakers, Governors and all Lawmakers should emphasize Host Community Fund not 13% Derivation, to be given directly to oil producing communities.

COMRADE KINDNESS INNOCENT JONAH:
AN ASTUTE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST THAT FIGHTS AND WINS INJUSTICE ANYWHERE FOUND IN THE GLOBE. HE IS ALSO IN FACE BOOK.

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