Bayelsa State Government has accused the Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi of being economical with the truth about the ownership of Soku oil wells.
Amaechi had at several fora claimed that President Goodluck Jonathan used his position to secure the oil wells for his home state, Bayelsa State.
But Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State faulted Amaechi, saying he was only using the oil wells issue to blackmail President Goodluck Jonathan.
He warned that the oil wells should not be used to incite the Kalabaris in Rivers State against their Nembe kinsmen in Bayelsa.
Dickson’s position was contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, on Wednesday.
Dickson added that the conflict on Soku had been settled by the Supreme Court, the National Boundary Commission and different presidential committees.
He said, “The crux of the matter is whether the said oil wells which bear the name given by Shell are within Bayelsa or Rivers states according to the administrative map of Nigeria and other instruments for purposes of derivation.
“Incidentally, Soku village in Rivers State is about 10km, as the crow flies from the flow station while the Oluasiri / Soku oil wells/ field is completely surrounded by various Oluasiri communities such as Etukekiri, Ijawkiri, Fredkiri, Adokonikiri etc all in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.”
He argued that Amaechi was aware that Soku was merely a name adopted by Shell, being its nearest operations base at the time, and not necessarily the location of the oil wells.
He quoted chapter three of a report of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission dated August 2006, saying, “The Bayelsa/Imo/Abia state Governments complained that the naming of oil fields was often done arbitrarily without any regard to the culture and particular environment of the people where the wells or fields are located. This has given rise to wrong attribution by relevant agencies.”
He referred Amaechi to a report of the General Mamman – Committee on the Soku oil field, which, according to him, recommended that the production from Soku Oil Field be attributed to Bayelsa State.
Published by Biafra Galaxy
