‘Communities Should Own Their Minerals’

Hope rises for host
communities’ ownership of resources on their land as the National Confab had last week in Abuja endorsed the proposed amendment of the Petroleum Act of 1969 which vested power of ownership of all minerals in the federal government.
The Petroleum Act of 1969 is viewed as controversial in that it empowers the federal government to own all resources in the country – both onshore and offshore, and strips host communities of the power of ownership of such resources on their land.
Confab’s Committee on Energy had recommended the review of the Petroleum Act of 1969 to the effect that ownership of minerals in the country should shift from the federal government to the communities on whose land the minerals are found.
Debating the report of the committee on Energy at plenary , the confab resolved that the provisions of the Petroleum Act of 1969 was no longer in tandem with today’s realities so deserves to be reviewed to enthrone justice, equity and fairness.
In putting the recommendation to vote, confab’s Deputy Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi who presided at the session presented  a proposed amendment, thus:  ‘’Petroleum Act of 1969 should be reviewed in the interest  of justice and equity.. Those in favour, say:’I’. Those against, say: ’A ye’.
There was overwhelming support for the Act’s review. After voting, Akinyemi ruled, ‘’The Ayes have it’’
Speaking with The Tide on this resolution of the confab, a federal delegate from Rivers State and former Health Commissioner in the state, Dr Silas Eneyo explained that, “The Act vests all the minerals in the ground  and above the ground in the government of the federation and expropriate on resources from the owners in the particular environment, particularly petroleum and gas so the review is to ensure ownership of all the minerals within that ground of the owners the (host) communities and no longer the federal government.’’