RMAFC begins verification of disputed oil, gas wells in nine states
The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has commenced a fresh physical verification of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas well coordinates in nine states to ensure fairness and accuracy in the allocation of the 13 per cent derivation fund.
The exercise, covering the period from 2017 to date, involves Delta, Ondo, Edo, Anambra, Imo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.
The Chairman of RMAFC, Dr Mohammed Bello Shehu, flagged off the exercise in Owerri, Imo State, on Wednesday, describing it as critical to ensuring transparency and fairness in the administration of derivation revenue.
Shehu said the commission’s constitutional responsibility included monitoring revenue accruing to and disbursed from the Federation Account, as well as ensuring equitable distribution of derivation revenue among oil and gas-producing states.
He said, “The determination of exact coordinates and spatial alignments for the subject wellheads directly governs the legal and financial entitlements of the respective sub-national entities.”
The RMAFC chairman charged members of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) and deployed technical officers to carry out the assignment with diligence, technical precision and professionalism.
He insisted that “every verified coordinate, technical assessment, and physical observation conducted on-site must withstand rigorous statutory scrutiny.”
According to him, the exercise will involve examining disputed and newly drilled oil and gas well coordinates, physically verifying affected wellheads, accurately plotting their locations using approved maps and considering relevant court decisions in resolving disputes.
