Revenue: South-South governors, others tackle Northern leaders
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TONY ANICHEBE 
Liyel ImokeLeaders of the South- South region have condemned calls by Northern leaders for a downward review of the 13 per cent oil derivation currently enjoyed by oil-producing states.
They said that the solution to the problem of revenue sharing among the 36 states of the federation lies in the implementation of true federalism.
The leaders made their position known yesterday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, when they met under the aegis of the BRACED Commission, an acronym for Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta states.
The BRACED Commission made up governors and deputy governors of the South-South states, speakers of the Houses of Assembly and members of the National Assembly from the region.
The group is chaired by Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke.
In a communiqué signed by the governors, Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba and other stakeholders, the leaders said the position of the North on revenue sharing was “unfortunate and misplaced.”
According to the communiqué, rather than the North bickering over revenue sharing, it should join other parts of the country in insisting on the adoption and implementation of true federalism which allows states and regions to develop and control their resources.
Reading the communiqué on behalf of the BRACED Commission, Governor Imoke questioned the reason why the North and other parts of the country were not exploiting and developing the mineral resources in the regions, but concentrating on depleting the oil and gas reserves in the South-South.
The leaders stated that instead of the country, particularly the North depending on proceeds from crude oil, it should rather invest in agriculture as it was the practice before oil was discovered.
The South-South leaders disagreed with some leaders in the North for saying that the seeming disproportionate sharing of national revenue was responsible for the current worrisome security situation in the region as evidenced in the spate of bomb attacks.
The BRACED Commission also condemned the delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), saying the development has affected the growth of the oil-producing states of the South-South.
Commending the efforts by the Federal Government towards reactivating the PIB bill for submission to the National Assembly, the BRACED Commission called on the Ministries of Finance and Petroleum Resources, and the various committees drafting the bill to resubmit it to the National Assembly.
Reviewing the security situation in the country, South-South leaders commended the Federal Government’s efforts at containing the spate of violence in some parts of the country, but urged the President to intensify efforts to restore law and order across the federation.
They appealed to those who are aggrieved to utilize available constitutional process to seek redress for their grievances rather than embark on destroying innocent lives and property.
The South-South leaders sympathised with those whose loved ones were killed by attackers and therefore called for assistance to the bereaved families.
They unanimously stressed the need to meet regularly to harmonize their positions on issues affecting the South-South region.
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