Confab Backs Resource Control

Scene of an accident on Airport Road in Benin City, recently.

The agitations by host communities in the Niger Delta for ownership of resources on their land may soon be met as the National Conference in Abuja has 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.
The Conference 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 conference resolved that the provisions of the Petroleum Act of 1969 was no longer in tandem with today’s realities, and therefore, deserves to be reviewed to enthrone justice, equity and fairness.
In putting the recommendation to vote, the conference’s Deputy Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, who presided at the session, presented  the 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 ‘Nay’ ’’.
There was overwhelming support for the Act’s review. After voting, Akinyemi ruled that, “The ‘I’s’ have it’’!Speaking with The Tide on this resolution, 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 all 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  by the owners – the (host) communities and no longer the Federal Government.

Justus Awaji, Abuja