13% Deprivation Fund: HOSTCOM Gives Delta Government 21 Days 

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM), Delta State Chapter yesterday gave the Delta State Government a 21-day protest notice over alleged neglect in the management of the 13 percent derivation fund.

The group which interfaces between the oil and gas bearing communities and Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) expressed deep concern and frustration over the deteriorating operational condition of the body which it attributed to various nonchalant attitude of the Delta State Government that always complains of paucity of funds.

HOSTCOM lamented that several attempts were made to demand what is legitimately due to it, in terms of the 13 % Percent Oil derivation funds, which has run into billions given to DESOPADEC to manage for and on behalf of HOSTCOM, with nothing good and fair to show from   interventionist agency and the Delta State Government.

The group, in a statement issued and signed by its chairman, Enujeke Ndidi Sunday, on behalf of the leadership of HOSTCOM, warned that they can no longer tolerate the harsh and adverse effect of the neglect from the state government over the 13 Percent derivation “which rightly belongs to the oil and gas bearing communities of HOSTCOM”.

It asserted that it was an error to allow DESOPADEC to neglect HOSTCOM which is the primary purpose of the establishment of the interventionist agency.

The group highlighted several critical issues confronting the body, top of which was lack of funding and government’s lackadaisical attitude towards the plight of HOSTCOM which made it to beg for what belongs to body from DESOPADEC, that was established as an interventionist agency to serve HOSTCOM.

It carpeted the Delta State Government for being indifferent and unresponsive to the sufferings and demands of HOSTCOM which had been communicated severally, through messages that were not attended to, without any plausible explanation from the governor’s office.

HOSTCOM noted that the 21-day protest notice emphasized the urgency for the Delta State Government to take immediate and decisive action to address the outstanding issues of neglect and reckless abandonment of a very strategic body which is statutorily recognized to be funded by accruable funds coming regularly through federal allocations.

 “As we are waiting patiently for the state government’s response to our germane demands. We should not be cowed using the rhetoric “paucity of fund”, a language, which HOSTCOM, shall vehemently resist”, it stated.

Citing Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association, the Delta State Chapter of HOSTCOM made up of all the leaders of the Various ethnic nationalities and youth leaders expressed its readiness to hold the planned peaceful protest if its germane demands fall on deaf ears after the expiration of the 21-days ultimatum.

“The protest aims to amplify the discontent and grievances of HOSTCOM, over the years and the dire state of its members in the smooth running of the affairs of HOSTCOM in Delta State, a practice which is against the ethos and the pillar of democracy.”

Part of HOSTCOM’s grievances, according to the statement, included non-release of five buses due it and intervention by the Delta State Government in ensuring the timely release of the body’s Yearly subversion allocation, which has accrued to several millions of naira.

It also demanded immediate attention be given to the “knotty” issue of 13 Percent derivation accountability by the Governor noting that it was the fundamental right of HOSTCOM to know how the disbursement is been patterned.

The group also requested that the abandoned HOSTCOM ICT Training Centre be financed and activated with immediate effect to strengthen and enhance capacity building amongst the youths.

It further demanded HOSTCOM should be co-managers of the 50 percent of the 13 percent derivation fund as established by law since DESOPADEC is an interventionist agency of government.

“ln a very transparent manner, there should be accountability by DESOPADEC to HOSTCOM . We strongly believe this is key to the take-off of concrete developmental projects to be executed to specification”, it added.