By Jimitota Onoyume

Prominent Itsekiri group, Association for the Promotion of Peace and Development in Itsekiri oil and Gas communities, APPDIOGCOM, has called on the federal government to increase 13 per cent derivation fund to Niger Delta states, adding that the money be paid directly to the oil and gas host communities.

Leader of the group, Princess Grace Fregene in Warri, Delta state said payment of the funds directly to the communities would reduce tension arising from marginalization and issues of underdevelopment in the Niger Delta region.

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She said it was clear that governors of the region handling the derivation funds had failed completely in developing the oil and gas communities, adding also that the allegations of corruptions flying from the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, was also an indication of gross failure of the interventionist agency to bring development to the region.

The group said the federal government should urgently increase the derivation fund and pay to the communities as a palliative for the destruction they suffer from oil exploration activities in their areas.

“The governors and interventionist agency has failed our communities. The federal government should increase the derivation fund and pay directly to the oil and gas communities as palliatives to develop the areas. “, she said.

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Continuing, she said the derivation fund will be better managed by the oil and gas communities. “ The funds will be better used prudently to solve the problems plaguing the communities in the region “, she said.

“The governors and intervention agencies have failed the host communities with poor project execution, poor infrastructural spread, absence of project and above all financial recklessness. The government should commence payment of the money to the communities and also increase it from the 13 per cent “, she said

Vanguard