The representative of Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Senator Biobarakuma Wangagha Degi-Ermienyo, has accused his colleague and former Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson, of instigating violence in the Niger Delta region by making malicious and unfounded comments capable of inciting civil unrest in the area.
Degi-Ermienyo was reacting to recent media briefing by Dickson during which he accused the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, of reducing the Host Communities Development Funds in the Petroleum Industry Bill to three per cent, as against five per cent proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said this is highly regrettable considering the tireless efforts put in by the Minister, also from the Niger Delta, in actualising the long-awaited law.
According to Degi-Ermienyo, the true story was that the PIB as an executive bill was represented to the National Assembly with a proposal for 2.5% of the total operational cost as host communities development trust funds.
“The lead debate was hot and protracted in both chambers. Lawmakers from the Niger Delta region, including myself, spoke, argued for upward increase commensurate with our contributions and sacrifices.
“During the public hearing at various centres, host communities canvassed the same position.
“After rigorous and painstaking process from plenary to conference committee, the National Assembly put the host communities funds at three per cent.
“This was the National Assembly decision and NOT that of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva,” he stressed, wondering why Senator Dickson would drag Sylva into it.
Degi-Ermienyo alleged that Senator Dickson did nothing when he was governor to facilitate the bill at the National Assembly.
“Other governors from the region rallied round their people and even lobbied lawmakers from other regions to support an increase in the host communities development fund. Ex-Governor Dickson did nothing as he was content with spending 13 per cent derivation on aggressive development of his own villages, which are not host communities, leaving the oil and gas-producing host communities to suffer their fate,” Degi-Ermienyo said in a statement he personally endorsed.
He said it is ridiculous to now see (Dickson) “fighting pretentiously” for host communities, adding that he (Dickson) lacks the moral grounds to criticise or attack Sylva.
“I can see that Senator Dickson is just being envious, mischievous and intimidated by the astronomically rising profile of Sylva,” he added.