The Federal Government has begun verifying disputed and newly drilled crude oil and gas fields in the Niger Delta to settle ownership claims and guarantee fair revenue distribution to producing states.

Addressing journalists in Asaba, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission,
Dr. Mohammed Shehu, said the exercise is a constitutional requirement under paragraph 32(a), Part I of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“We announce the inauguration of the IATC and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to accurately identify the locations of crude oil and gas fields and wells within the disputed areas and the newly drilled crude oil and gas wells.

“The 1999 Constitution, as amended, empowers the RMAFC, amongst other functions, to monitor accruals into and disbursement of revenue from the federation account.

“This initiative is driven by former concerns expressed by the executive governors of some states, such as Anambra -Imo, Anambra -Delta, regarding the rightful ownership and territorial boundaries of specific crude oil and gas assets.

“Key among these is the Aneize oil field within OML 143; the Eyine and Ameshi fields. In Delta, we shall examine the identified locations and verify the coordinates of newly drilled oil and gas wells within the area spanning from 2017 to date,” he said.

The RMAFC chairman explained that the verification exercise would also cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Ondo, Edo, and Anambra states, following petitions from the affected states.

He added that the process would be based on geospatial data supplied by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), which would be validated and mapped, with the Surveyor-Generals of the states on hand to monitor the exercise.

He noted that the objective is to guarantee fair and transparent oil revenue allocation based on reliable data, while also resolving long-standing disputes over the location and legitimate ownership of these critical energy assets.

“We are tasked with plotting the coordinates of newly drilled identified crude oil and gas fields and wells across recognized oil-rich regions.

“This decision reflects our unwavering commitment to support the commission in obtaining precise location data for these assets, ensuring that the 13 per cent derivation fund is equitably disbursed to the rightful boundary states among the oil-producing areas,” Shehu added.

Shehu emphasized that the exercise represents a strategic and proactive initiative by the Federal Government to settle the long-standing disputes among the concerned states.

“This initiative is essential to ensure that every oil and gas-producing state receives its rightful share of the resources to reduce tension and safeguard the integrity of the federation account.

“By promoting transparency and fairness, we are laying the groundwork for a more stable and conducive environment for continued exploration and development across the region,” he noted.