By CHINYERE Nnaemeka
The Chief Whip of the Imo State House of Assembly, and member representing Oru East, Rt. Hon. Chigozie Nwaneri has presented a Bill seeking to repeal the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission Law No. 13 of 2010 in other to establish a commission that will ensure the development of the Oil Producing Areas in the State.
The Bill which reads in full: “A Bill for A Law to repeal the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission Law Number 13 of 2010 (as amended) and to enact a Law to provide for the establishment of a Commission for the purpose of developing the Oil Producing Areas in Imo State and for other Related Matters, was lifted from the Notice of Presentation of Bills section of the Order Paper of the House, and made to form part of the day’s deliberation on Thursday, during the House plenary.
It was read the first time, second time, and committed to the House Committee on ISOPADEC, Oil and Gas, for them to report back to the House on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
Presenting the bill, the Chief Whip pointed out that the amendment of the bill will be of great benefit to Imolites, especially to the oil producing areas who he said have not been adequately gaining what they are supposed to benefit as oil producing areas.
“From the provision of the bill, he mentioned some of the functions of the commission to be,” Receive and administer exclusively, Forty percent (40%) of the thirteen percent (13%) Oil derivation fund accruing to Imo State from the Federal Government as an oil producing State for the purpose of – Rehabilitation and development of the Oil Producing Areas of the State, carrying out development projects as may be determined from time to time by the Commission, liaising with relevant Federal and State Government authorities on the control and effective methods of tackling the problems of erosion, pollution spillage and other environmental problems in the State.
Others include, “ensuring that the fund accruing to the Commission is properly utilized; enlighten the Oil Producing Areas of the State about the functions, policies, programmes and activities of the Commission; enlighten the Oil Producing Areas about the efforts of the Government to pay special attention to the developmental needs of the oil Producing communities of the State, and executing such other works and projects including performing functions which in the opinion of the Commission are necessary for sustainable development of the Oil Producing Areas of Imo State.”
The amendment will now capture the names of the oil producing communities; Oguta Local Government Area, Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area, and Oru-East Local Government Area, which were not captured in the former law.
“The Chairman and members of the Board of the Commission shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to the confirmation by the House of Assembly. The Chairman shall come from an Oil Producing Area of the State. There shall be two representatives from each of the three (3) Oil Producing Local Government Areas of the State. There shall be one representative each, from the three (3) Senatorial Zones of the State that are not from the Oil Producing Local Government Areas.”
Also part of the Board will be, “one representative of Ministry of Finance, one representative of Ministry of Petroleum and Environment, the Managing Director of the Commission who shall be ex-officio member of the Board.
“The Board shall have the powers to- approve expenditures above Three Million Naira (N3M) Only, ensure that the projects and programmes of the commission are evenly distributed among the communities of the Oil Producing Local Government Areas;
They shall also, “approve the employment, discipline and termination of appointment of staff of the Commission as may be determined by the Management Committee, ensure that the funds accruing to the Commission are properly utilized to the benefit of the Oil Producing Communities, and be responsible for the general policy formulation of the Commission.”
The bill also provided that the Commission shall have its Secretariat in not only Owerri, the state capital as in the former Law, but have Area Offices in every Local Government Headquarters of the three (3) Oil Producing Local Government Areas.
This, the Chief Whip opined will create more job opportunities for the three areas, and brings ISOPADEC home to the people who knows the immediate need of their areas, and for swift response to them.
For proper management, and accountability of the commission’s fund, “The Managing Director of the Commission shall prepare for each financial year, an estimate of recurrent and capital expenditure which shall be sent by the Commission, to the Governor’s office for approval by the House of Assembly.
The bill further provided that, “Upon the commencement of this Law, all rights or liabilities accruing under any contract Agreement or Deed in favour of or against Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (1SOPADEC), or, all titles and rights to and interest in moveable and immovable property which before the commencement of this Law are vested in the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC) shall remain vested in the Commission.”
Speaking in favor of the bill was the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Chyna Iwuanyanwu, members representing: Orsu; Rt. Hon. Uche Agabige, Ideato South; Hon. Okechukwu Udeze, Ohaji Egbema; Hon. Francis Osuoha, Oguta; Hon. Engr. Gilbert Nwosu, Onuimo; Hon. James Esile.
They described the bill as a progressive one aimed at developing the state, and addressing many challenges of youth restrictiveness in especially the oil producing areas.
They continued that there is need to always repeal old laws and enact new ones that will accommodate the yearning of the people, which according to them, the provisions of the bill adequately captured, especially the decentration of the Secretariat of the commission to the oil producing areas.
They further commended the Chief Whip for the presentation of the bill.
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