Anambra State Government has warned against activities of some group of persons operating under the name of ‘Host Communities of Anambra State’, and ‘Coordinators of Oil Producing Communities in Anambra State’, who are embarking on state-wide campaign, registering communities and local governments in the state into committees and sub-committees for the purpose of collection and or payment of three percent of money from oil companies, or as part of the thirteen percent derivation fund to the State.
According to a statement by the state Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Barrister Tony Ifeanya, chapter three of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 clearly states that host communities are those towns on whose soil or land oil companies are operating, and not Anambra State or any state as a whole.
He explained that the only communities in Anambra State that can qualify as ‘Host Communities’ and entitled to the three percent of the operating companies’ expenditure for the preceding year for their social infrastructural development are Enugwu-Otu Aguleri, Eziagulu Otu and Mkpunando Aguleri communities in Anambra East Local Government Area, where Orient Petroleum Resources is operating in OPL 915 and 916.
Others are Anaku, Omor and Umerum communities in Ayamelum Local Government Area, where Orient Petroleum Resources is also operating, as well as Ogwuikpele and Ogwuaniocha communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area, where Sterling Energy and Oil Production Company, SEEPCO, is presently operating in OML 143.
The Commissioner warned any person, persons or group campaigning and registering communities and local governments into committees for the purpose of collection and or payment of three percent from oil companies; being thirteen percent derivation fund to be guided accordingly, adding that the state government is not part of the exercise, and that members of the affected communities must be careful to avoid being scammed.
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