The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, has commenced a fresh verification exercise for disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells across Nigeria as part of efforts to address disagreements over the distribution of the 13 per cent derivation fund.
The commission on Thursday inaugurated a reconstituted Inter-Agency Technical Committee, IATC, to examine oil and gas wells drilled from 2017 to date.
The new exercise follows the rejection of an earlier draft report after states raised complaints and counterclaims concerning the locations and coordinates of some wells.
The verification is expected to establish the correct coordinates of the affected wells, plot them accurately on approved maps and determine their actual locations and boundaries for revenue allocation.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, RMAFC Chairman, Dr Mohammed Bello Shehu, said the exercise falls within the commission’s constitutional responsibility to monitor revenue accruing to and distributed from the Federation Account.
Shehu said accurate verification was necessary to support the fair distribution of the 13 per cent Derivation Fund among oil and gas-producing states.
He explained that the previous draft report was set aside after several states requested further checks on disputed and newly drilled wells.
The RMAFC chairman directed the reconstituted committee to ensure that all verified coordinates, maps and boundaries correspond with the actual situation on the ground.
He also instructed the committee to consider relevant court judgments, use approved maps and conduct physical inspections of affected wells where necessary.
According to Shehu, the fresh process is intended to improve transparency in revenue allocation and provide a lasting mechanism for resolving disputes among beneficiary states.
RMAFC adopts two-tier structure
To strengthen oversight of the exercise, RMAFC has introduced a two-level governance structure for the verification process.
The first level consists of technical officials and experts from RMAFC, the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, OSGoF, the National Boundary Commission, NBC, and the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission, NUPRC.
The technical team will be responsible for field inspections, ground verification, technical assessments and preparation of the initial report.
The second level, known as the Executive Committee, will be headed by RMAFC leadership. It will provide strategic direction, coordinate the participating agencies and supervise final approvals before the findings are submitted for formal ratification.
Shehu said RMAFC would provide the committee with the institutional resources required to complete the assignment.
He added that security agencies would be engaged to assist with administrative clearances, tactical support and security coverage during field operations, particularly in difficult and coastal areas.
To enhance transparency, Surveyors-General from affected states and representatives of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) will participate as observers.
Shehu urged members of the committee to carry out the assignment with integrity, objectivity and patriotism, noting that its findings would have implications for fairness and stability in revenue distribution.
The RMAFC chairman formally inaugurated the reconstituted IATC and expressed confidence that its work would improve the credibility of the revenue monitoring and allocation process.
RMAFC Secretary, Comrade Tosin Adeyanju, also urged committee members to place the national interest above other considerations.
Adeyanju called for fairness, diligence and objectivity, noting that the exercise would face increased scrutiny because of issues that emerged from previous verification exercises.
He expressed confidence that the committee would produce findings that would be credible and acceptable to the Federal Government and affected states, while contributing to national development.
Source: PUNCH
