Buhari Administration Grants Kogi Oil-Producing State Status

President Muhammadu Buhari administration has granted oil-producing state status to Kogi State.

This was contained in a letter by the Secretary of the Revenue Mobilisation And Fiscal Commission, M. B. Shehu, addressed to the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

In the letter which was spotted by our correspondent, the commission approved the attribution of Oda River Oil well-1 to the state. The commission also in the letter dated 24th August, 2021, “approved the attribution of Anambra River 1, 2 and 3 oil wells on a 50:50 percentage basis between Anambra and Kogi States pending the final delineation of the boundary between the two states.”

Consequently, the commission said that “Kogi State will start to benefit from the 13% Derivation fund as soon as proceeds from the operation in Oda River 1 Oil well or Anambra River 1,2 or 3 oil well starts contributing revenue into the Federation Account.”

Meanwhile, the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the recognition of Kogi as one of the Oil-producing states in the country by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC.

The governor conveyed his ‘thank you’ message to Mr President while on a visit to the State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

Bello who addressed journalists in the State House after a meeting with Mr President, said he was in the Villa to thank Buhari for the recognition of Kogi as an Oil-producing state and had a discussion with him on the resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, also in Kogi State.

“The aim of my visit to Mr President this afternoon was to thank him for the recognition of Kogi State as one of the Oil-producing states in the country. And we also discussed the issue of Ajaokuta Steel Complex which Mr President said all efforts are ongoing to ensure the Steel Complex comes up before the end of his administration.” the governor said.

He said, with the recognition of Kogi and Anambra, the age-long oil wells dispute that resulted in unwarranted killings and destruction of property between two communities of Odeke in Ibaji local government area of Kogi and Aguleri in Anambra state has come to an end, while commending Mr President for the peaceful resolution of the dispute.