14 Year Old Owaza Community Crisis Resolved

Posted by Admin | 7 years ago | 3,664 times



The crisis over the method and pattern of revenue sharing in Owaza Community in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State,the largest oil producing community that has lingered for 14 years has been laid to rest.
This followed a resolution of a peace committee instituted by the communities.
Presenting the resolution of the committee to the Governor at Government House,the leader of the delegation and immediate past Commissioner of the NNDC,Chief Sam Nwogu, said Owaza, as an oil producing state,does not operate a communal land system.
He noted that before now, the host oil producing communities got 70 percent of oil proceeds, while the entire community gets 30 percent.
According to him,the squabbles in the 4 communities in Owaza began following a legal tussle between HRH Eze Jonathan Ezeri of Igirukwu, the largest producer of oil in Owaza and other three traditional rulers in the area, which led to protests by the communities, hence,the lingered crisis. He was said to have been given four days to withdraw the litigations and all documents attached to it, which he did, then the formation of the peace committee made up of stakeholders of the four communities.
The committee among other things resolved send letters to oil companies stopping further negotiations pending a solution to the crisis, the communities adopted that following the lingering percentage policy of 40 and 60 percent, the indigenes of both oil and non oil producing communities be merged, and all other communities with lesser volumes be recognized, and shared among them.
The committee also said that to ensure peace,the sharing formula will now be 60 percent for the two host oil producing communities and 50 percent for the other two communities. The traditional rulers are to take 10 percent each.
The oil companies were also mandated to employ members of host communities and the 1.5 million naira to be paid as homage to the communities will have the traditional rulers get #100,000 each, while the others would be shared according to the resolutions of the committee.
The resolution was signed by the four monarchs of Owaza and stakeholders of the communities.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, elated at the news of the peaceful resolution commended the traditional rulers and other members of the community for suing for peace and said it opens a new chapter for the community .
While lamenting that a natural resource which is supposed to be a blessing, turned to a curse, enjoined the traditional rulers and the community to constantly hold meetings to sustain the peace in the area.
He described the oil communities in Abia State as the most peaceful across the nation, noting that the communities have remained a sustainable source of income for the nation.
Governor Ikpeazu said the peaceful demeanor of Abia's oil producing communities is very symbolic and a thing of national pride.

He assured of his administration's commitment to making good use of the natural resources for a better Abia.


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