By John Odhe
The people of the oil rich Niger Delta region have not relented in their push for an equitable share of their natural endowment.
This call has been on the front burner for many years amongst indigines of the region who feel being short-changed and marginalized while continuously bearing the brunt of environmental degradation and health challenges resulting from oil and gas activities.
To this end, former Nigerian diplomat and national chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Amb. Godknows Igali, has advocated a 50 per cent derivation allocation for communities where natural resources are extracted, calling for a more equitable distribution of resource revenues in Nigeria.
Igali made the proposal during an appearance on the podcast conversations with Prof. Jideofor Adibe, where he spoke on resource control, fiscal federalism and economic justice.
The PANDEF national chairman argued that host communities, which bear the environmental and social consequences of oil exploration and exploitation, deserved a greater share of the wealth generated from their natural resources.
According to him, communities should retain 50 per cent of the revenue derived from resources extracted within their territories.
“It is important that the community that has the resources keep 50% of the derived resources,” Igali stated.
He noted that the proposal reflected aspects of Nigeria’s pre-independence and First Republic revenue-sharing arrangements, when regions retained 50 per cent of revenues generated from certain natural resources within their territories.
Igali’s position comes amid renewed calls by regional stakeholders, policymakers and socio-political groups for resource control, fiscal restructuring, environmental restoration and sustainable development of resource-producing communities.
