Anambra state is a state in the southern part of Nigeria with Awka as its capital. WIth a polulation of about 4,055,048, (2006 census) the state Anambra was derived from Anambra River and is surrounded by Delta state to the west, Imo and Rivers states to the south, Kogi State to the north and Enugu state to the east.
Anambra state is naturally endowed with so many resources like natural gas, bauxite, crude oil, ceramics and so on. Its commercial city is Onitsha. In 2001 when Dr Chinweoke mbadinuju was the governor of Anambra state, the oil field was discovered in Agulueri in Anambra west. Hence, Orient petoleum was given permission to explore the oil field. Orient petroleum, an indigenous exploration company has its board members as former secretary general of common wealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku as the Chairman, former vice president of federal republic of Nigeria as its vice Chairman, Arthur Mbanefo and Emeka Nwawka as the Managing director among others. According to report, the administration of Dr. Chinweoke Mbadinuju never made any financial contribution towards the construction of orient petroleum. However, the administration of Dr. Chris Ngige committed the sum of N100,000,000 (one hundred million naira) between 2003 and 2006.
Governor Peter Obi the incumbent governor of Anambra state reported that between 2006 and 2009, his administration has invested directly or indirectly the whooping sum of 4.4 billion naira to the capital project. He added that his administration invested heavily on the project because of its bright prospect and belief that it will change the economic status of the state. Continuing, governor Peter Ob pointed out that while other governors did not visit the site, he visited the site on several occasions and laid the foundation of Orient Petroleum and no body ever claimed ownership of the oil field throughout his visits.
On August 30, 2012, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan visited Anambra State to commission a couple of projects which included Orient Petroleum Resources among others. Since after the commissioning, things beganto take another twist. Two states that share territorial boundries with Anambra state are now claiming ownership of the oil well that president Goodluck Jonathan has commissioned and which Anambra government has spent a large amount of their resources to bring to fruition. For example, the deputy governor of Kogi state Arc.Abayomi Awoniyi was among the visitors who was in attendance during the commissioning of Orient Petroleum. When he retuned to Kogi state capital, Lokoja, he released a statement through his media adviser Mike Abu, that Kogi is on the verge of joining the league of oil producing states. Awoniyi emphasized that he was impressed about the inauguration of the refinery for the drilling of the oil in Odeke community in Ibasa local government of the state. Apart from Kogi, Enugu state, a neighbouring Igbo state is also laying claim to the oil well. This has since generated a lot of uncertainties and controversies Although the oil well is discovered in Anambra River basin, its overlay beneath the earth may have crisscrossed beyond Anambra boundary.
But what have both Kogi and Enugu states been doing all this while until the project was ripe for commissioning? What prompted kogi state government to send a representative to the commissioning of Orient Petroleum? They may be planning to reap where they did not sow. On August 30th, president Goodluck jonathan proclaimed Anambra as the 10th oil producing state in the country so both Kogi and Enugu state may be engaging themselves in a wild goose chase.
In a couple of months, Orient Petroleum Resources will resume crude oil exploration in their oil block: OPL 915 and 916 and this will be historical as first time crude oil will be obtained from an inland basin in Nigeria.
No comments:
Post a Comment