The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has accused successive Niger Delta governors of mismanaging the 13 percent derivation funds, calling for a change to the law so that oil‑producing communities receive a direct share of the revenue. The call was made on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, where MOSOP activities marked the 31st anniversary of the execution of environmental activist Ken Saro‑Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders by the late General Sani Abacha.
According to MOSOP president Fegalo Nsuke, the derivation scheme was designed to address underdevelopment in oil‑producing areas, but state governors have exercised excessive discretion over its allocation. “The idea of derivation funds was to address the underdevelopment in the Niger Delta region. However, the structure of administration of the funds makes it vulnerable to abuse and has left the funds at the discretion of state governors,” Nsuke said.
He pointed to communities such as Ogba/Egbema and Andoni in Rivers State, which he said have not received adequate development funding despite being major oil‑producing areas. “Allowing governors to determine spending priorities without directly channelling an appropriate share to oil‑producing communities has undermined the objectives of the derivation arrangement,” he added.
“It is important that the areas from where resources are extracted should get their due rewards and a proportionate injection of the derivation funds. The structure for the administration of the derivation funds needs to change if we must achieve that,” Nsuke said.
While criticising the management of derivation funds, Nsuke praised the current Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for its visible impact across the region. He urged the commission to sustain and expand its interventions, noting that it emerged from the struggles for justice championed by Saro‑Wiwa and other activists.
“I am pleased that the NDDC under its present management is making some impressive impacts. MOSOP will encourage them to do more,” he said.
Nsuke blamed persistent poverty in the Niger Delta on the mismanagement of derivation revenues, arguing that the funds allocated to oil‑producing states over the years should have made a significant difference. He called for greater unity among Niger Delta communities, saying collective action would strengthen their ability to demand accountability from state governments. “It is sad that the revenues are being largely mismanaged by the governors because the people are not holding them to account,” he said.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
