‘Pay 13% derivative to host communities directly’

A development expert, Dr. Garus Gololo has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that 13 per cent derivative fund is paid directly to host communities and not through state governors.

Speaking to journalists yesterday in Abuja, he said the issue of agitations by host communities would have been long gone if the federal government had commenced payment of the fund directly to the host communities.

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His words: “It is high time President Tinubu directed the minister of finance and justice to ensure that the host communities get these funds as part of the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari

“We have a situation where governors take these monies and the host communities of Nigeria Delta hardly get anything. That’s why even when local government autonomy was granted, the governors’ forum went to court to challenge it. This act needs to stop.

“The federal government can set up an independent committee who are not part of these host communities to monitor disbursements and implementation of key projects in the communities who have suffered so long due to oil exploration,” Gololo said.