The Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas, HOSCON, has given the federal government a four-month ultimatum to recognize Anambra State as an oil producing state in Nigeria.
The National Chairman of HOSCON, Dr Mike Emuh, disclosed this during the inauguration of the Anambra State Executive of the organization in Awka.
Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas, HOSCON, is an association of communities that produce oil and gas in Nigeria.
The organization, founded in 2002, also acts as a pressure group to the federal government on issues that affect oil producing communities, such as the thirteen percent derivation fund, and gas flaring.
The National Chairman of HOSCON, Dr Emuh, who noted that about fifteen thousand metric tons of crude oil were moved from Anambra State daily, frowned at the non-inclusion of the state in the list of ten oil producing states despite having a higher oil deposit than Lagos State.
He urged the federal government to see the re-inclusion as an urgent necessity given that Anambra State holds every prerequisite of an oil producing state.
On his part, the Chairman of HOSCON Elders’ Advisory Council, and Traditional Ruler of Ifitedunu, Igwe Dr Emeka Ilouno, appealed to traditional rulers in the State to form chapters of the association in their towns, to help give the march a universal voice.
The Chairman of the newly inaugurated executive of HOSCON in Anambra State, Barrister Ugwuonwa Okeke, in his acceptance speech, said that one of the compelling tasks for the new executive was to move a stronger cause for the recognition of Anambra as an oil producing state.
Recall that Anambra State, during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was formally recognized as an oil producing state.
Traditional rulers from selected communities in Anambra State, executive members of the body from other south eastern states also attended the HOSCON National Executive Meeting.
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