Law maker cautions on Kogi, Anambra oil deposits

Law maker cautions on Kogi, Anambra oil deposits

Friday, November 25, 2016 11:42 am


Hon. Emmanuel Egwu

Hon.Emmanuel Egwu, member National Assembly

Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

A member representing Idah/Ibaji/Igalamela/Ofu Federal Constituency, Hon. Emmanuel Egwu has called on the people of Anambra and Kogi States to exercise mutual understanding and coexistence in order to optimize the oil deposit in the states.

Hon. Egwu made the call yesterday at the NUJ secretariat in Lokoja while fielding questions in a Parliamentarian Interactive session at an event marking the state’s council 2016 Press Week.

The law maker submitted that as against the clamour that Kogi State should be enlisted among the oil producing states in the federation, the oil deposit in Ibaji is still at exploratory stage which according to him cannot generate royalty to the government.

“the oil at Ibaji is still at exploratory or prospective stage according to the document that  we have. At this stage, Kogi cannot just be declared as an oil producing state because Orient oil that is prospecting in Ibaji is still using Oil Prospective License (OPL) renewable after five years.

“We must get to the level of Oil Mining License(OML) before the state could be declared as oil producing state. This is the stage where the investors will begin to remit royalty to the coffers of the Federal government from where the state can demand for 13% derivation fund”, he extrapolated.

Hon. Egwu however lamented that the lacklustre attitude of the state government to invest in the oil deposit has made its Anambra counterpart to have more comparative advantage in the area of exploration. He encouraged individuals and corporate bodies to approach the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for OPL in order to derive optimal benefit from the natural resources.

Probed on the seeming supportive attitude of members of the National Assembly for corrupt public office holders, the law maker vehemently asserted that the law making organ of the government would do everything to fight against the scourge provided it is done within the confine of constitution.

He further reiterated that anti-corruption fight could not be won when it is selectively executed, a method he regrettably noted is in vogue as some indicted notable members in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari are shielded from prosecution.

He noted that members of the National Assembly are erroneously described as being corrupt as a result of their insistence that things must be done in line with the constitution which he said is the supreme document of the land. “When has it become an offense for members of the national Assembly to enforce the supremacy of the constitution?”, he quizzed.


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