THISDAYonline

Special Presidential Com-mittee On Verification of Oil Wells has submitted its report to the Federal Government, ceding four juicy oil wells, earlier in dispute between Bayelsa and Rivers States, to Bayelsa while proceeds from five others are to be attributed 50:50 to both states.

The chairman of the Oil Sector Committee of the Revenue Mobilisation, Alloca-tion and Fiscal Commission, Major General A. B. Mamman (rtd), in the report his committee submitted to the Federal Government recently said the "oil fields in dispute, or supposedly attributed wrongly" in the area, include, Adibawa, Adibawa North East, Taylor Creek, Idu, Ajitaton, Tunu, Odeama, and Etelebon

Resolving the disputes, the 12-man committee recommended that it was convinced that the Taylor Creek, Idu, Odeama, Soku oil fields were indeed on the soil of Bayelsa State and advised that proceeds from such operations be attributed to the state.

Ruling on five other oil wells that were also in dispute between both states, the committee recommended that: "The oil production from Belema, Belema North, Robertikiri, Ekulama 1, and Ekulam 11 oil fields be attributed on a 50:50 basis to the two states until the boundary dispute existing in the areas was resolved."

Besides, the Bayelsa State also got favourable hearing from the committee in the state's dispute with Delta State over the ownership of Akono, Benisede and Kanbo oil fields.

The committee said it derived its recommendation from the submissions of representatives of both states that the areas in question were on the Bayelsa side of the Bomadi Creek

It, therefore, said in its recommendation that: "In accordance with the Land Use Act of 1978 and the Revenue Act of 1992, and without prejudice to any customary claims by the people of Ojobo in Delta State and other communities, the committee recommends that the oil production from Akono, Benisede and Kanbo oil fields be attributed to Bayelsa State.

In related cases, the committee recommended that oil production from the Agwe and Odugiri oil fields, hitherto in dispute between Delta and Rivers states, be attributed to Rivers State, while oil productions from the Umoru oil fields be attributed on a 50:50 basis to both states, pending the completion of boundary demar-kation work by the surveyors-general of both states.

In a case between Edo and Delta states over production at oil fields at Ologbo, Asaboro and Ona, proceeds of which Edo claimed were being credited to Delta, the committee ceded Ologbo to Edo while the other two were given to Delta based on submissions of representatives of the states and contacts made at the areas in question.

Five oil fields - Opuekeba, Opuama, Tsekelewu, Ojumole and Omuro - were matters of dispute between Delta and Ondo states. But the committee, after listening to submissions by both sides, recommended that: "oil productions from Opuekeba, Opuama and Tsekelewu be attributed to Delta State while those of Ojumole and Omuro be attributed to Ondo State."

The Mamman committee is made up of Chief Ejiofor Onyia, Chief Frank Akpoebi, Chief Bayo Akinola, Alhaji Bello Kware and Alhaji Yakubu Shehu.

Others are Mr. Ikechukwu Obiorah, Mr. F. A. Kassim, Mr. J. O. Okafor, Mr. J. O. Arowolo, Dr. A. B. Ahmad, Navy Capt. S. A. Akinbami, Lt. Cdr. T. Dick and O. J. Uduodgu.