News
…Accuses RMAFC Of Dividing South-South
Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has accused the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the National Boundary Commission (NBC) of brewing tension in the South-South geo-political zone, through its decision to cede some oil wells indiscriminately to some states.
Governor Chibuike Amaechi made the remark, Monday, when a team from the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission visited him to present a report of the Downward Review of the Remuneration package for political public and judicial office-holders, at Government House Port Harcourt.
He said the role of both the RMAFC and the NBC were in conflict with the implementation of the Political solution adduced by the Obansanjo administration, which is recommended by the Supreme Court in handling issues of boundary disputes.
He regretted that the decision of the Commissions has torn apart the governors of the South-South states who hitherto spoke with one voice, and urged them to go back to the Supreme Court judgment on the matter in the interest of Peace and justice.
I plead with you to tell the NBC to implement the Supreme Court judgment. The judgment is clear, if you doubt it pick the Justice Oguntade’s Judgment and read it, it is stated in that judgment that the boundaries between territorial states would be determined by uncloss”, Governor Amaechi said, adding, “please apply uncloss to us, if the uncloss takes all our oil wells to Akwa lbom. we’ll clap for them, that’s all we ask for”.
Governor Amaechi accused the RMAFC and NBC of compromise in their decision to adopt historical means to take back some of the oil wells from Rivers State to Akwa lbom State as against the judgment of the Supreme Court, which earlier ceded 172 wells to Rivers State.
The governor averred that Rivers State would no longer compromise its stand on its oil wells, as it was determined to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion, noting “I am not willing any more to cede any of our oil well”.
While expressing sympathy for Cross River State, whose oil wells were also seeded to Akwa Ibom by the Commissions on political ground, Governor Amaechi pointed out that it was not the role of Federal Agencies to cause disaffection among the federating states.
“We pretended as if it does not exist, we were holding meetings between ourselves and seeking ways to move the zone forward, but you have arrived and disintegrated us”, he stressed insisting. ·’tell NBC to implement that judgment”.
Responding, the leader of the team, Chief Tom Uloko said they were at Government House to present the report on the downward review of the remuneration package for political, Public and Judicial officer holders, to the governor who will in turn forward the document to the House of Assembly for necessary legislative backing.
Chief Uloko, who represented the Chairman of the Commission Mr. Hamman Tukur said that President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua initiated the downward review in response to the need to reassess the economy of the nation in view of the global recession.
According to him, in carrying out the assignment, RMAFC held consultations with stakeholders with a view to obtaining their input towards achieving set objectives.