Nov.1 (PREMIUM TIMES) — President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday held a closed door meeting with the governors of Kogi, Anambra and Enugu states over the disputed oil wells in Aguileri-Otu, Anambra East Local Government Area.
Governors Peter Obi of Anambra, Idris Wada of Kogi and the Deputy Gov. of Enugu State, Mr Sunday Onyebuchi, whose states are involved in the dispute, were present at the meeting.
The meeting took place at the Presidential Villa.
In an interview with State House correspondents after the meeting, Gov. Obi said it was agreed that issues concerning the areas where the oil wells are located would be settled amicably.
“We will work together as states of the federation,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Wada said Jonathan intervened in the dispute by trying to get the National Boundary Commission to do its work in an expeditious manner.
He said the effort of the president was to ensure that “our people who live in those areas do not get too agitated and take the laws into their hands.
“The president has given the necessary directives.
“We are very happy with the meeting and we are going back very happy to tell our people that Mr President is handling this matter in an expeditious manner and according to the laid down procedures.
“At the end of the day, the matter will be resolved amicably,” Mr. Wada said.
Mr. Jonathan had in August declared Anambra State the 10th oil bearing state in the country.
He said this while inaugurating Orient Petroleum’s Anambra River Production Facility in Aguleri-Otu,
The declaration launched Anambra into the league of oil-producing states, which has Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia, Imo, Ondo, Delta and Edo as members.
The development will enable Anambra to receive extra revenue from the 13 per cent derivation fund as soon as proceeds from oil produced from the state begins to go into the federation account.
However, Kogi and Enugu States are contesting the attribution of the oil wells to Anambra.
Specifically, Kogi has argued that the oil wells, which feeds the Orient Refinery in Anambra, are on Odeke land in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State,
Enugu on the other hand claimed that the oil wells were located within its territory.
Colonel Onwubuya, the chairman of the Uzo Uwani Local Government Council of Enugu State, has said that the two oil blocs acquired by Anambra’s Orient Petroleum Company, are located in four communities in Uzo-Uwani.
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