Senate Rejects Motion To Declare Kogi Oil Producing State

The Senate, Wednesday stood down the movement looking for to recognise Kogi State as an oil producing State.
It additionally suspended additional dialogue on the movement for the Federal authorities to incorporate the state amongst oil-producing states with all advantages and privileges.

This growth adopted an adopted movement sponsored by Senator Isaac Alfa representing Kogi East Senatorial district titled, “Need to recognise Kogi State as an Oil Producing State”.
Alfa in his lead debate defined that oil exploration commenced in Ibaji way back to 1952 within the villages of Odeke, Echeno, Ihile, Anocha/Uchuchu, Omabo, Ikah, Iregwu and Ujeh, all in Ibaji neighborhood of the current day Ibaji Native Authorities Space of the state by Shell BP (now SPDC), Elf (now Whole Fina Elf) and AGIP Power.

Additional, the lawmaker recalled that the three corporations collectively drilled 25 exploration wells, 2 appraisal wells and 8- core drill wells in all the Anambra Basin out of which majority of the wells fall inside Kogi State.

Additionally, Alfa added that the exploration of oil actions within the state and a part of Anambra basin was later deserted till July 18, 2001 when former late Governor Prince Abubakar Audu wrote to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Abuja to remind him of earlier discovery of crude oil at Odeke, Echeno and Anocha communities in Ibaji native authorities of the State.

However Senator Chukwuka Utazi representing Enugu North differed on the prayers of the movement.
He stated, “We agreed that as an alternative of dissipating vitality and quarrelling, the three states ought to mix and make a presentation on a standard entrance. That the three states must be declared oil producing and the proportion labored out.
“We brought this issue here and after deliberation, this Senate directed the committees on Petroleum, Upstream to look into this issue with the boundary commission to solve the problem”.
Additionally, deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in his contribution corroborated Utazi’s contribution.
He stated, “I’ll wish to align myself with Senator Chukwuka Utazi. This matter has been visited, and I had anticipated him to both converse to senator Dino Melaye who’s a extra skilled Senator to present him correct steering and even search the steering of the Guidelines and Enterprise committee on what has occurred on this matter.

“Our order paper right now may be very heavy with gadgets; I believe we must always do ourselves a world of excellent to advise our good friend and colleague to humbly withdraw the movement in order that we will have a look at different points on the course record (order paper).

“However the fact of the matter is that even when we had not mentioned the matter earlier than, we can not by any stroke of creativeness give you a movement to declare any State oil producing, in any other case we will get up someday and say that the entire of Nigeria is oil producing. So, I need to enchantment to my colleague to withdraw the movement.
“Since the National Boundary Commission is already handling the Matter as he admitted in the body of his motion, we cannot take over the job of the boundary commission”.

It was on the above consideration that Senate President, Bukola Saraki hit the gavel in approval that the important thing prayer of the movement be suspended.