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In a move to strengthen fiscal transparency, equitable revenue allocation and institutional integrity in Nigeria, the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has inaugurated a reconstituted Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) to verify disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells from 2017 to date.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, Chairman of RMAFC Dr Mohammed Shehu said the exercise was in line with the commission’s constitutional mandate to monitor accruals to and disbursements of revenue from the Federation Account.
He emphasised that the verification would contribute to ensuring the equitable distribution of the 13 per cent derivation fund among oil and gas-producing states.
The chairman explained that the commission discarded the previous draft report on the oil and gas wells verification exercise following several claims, counter-claims and complaints from various states. He noted that the concerns centred largely on the need to re-verify the co-ordinates of disputed and newly drilled wells and accurately plot the verified co-ordinates on approved maps.
According to him, the reconstituted IATC is expected to ensure that every verified co-ordinate, map utilised and boundary evaluated reflects the actual situation on the ground.
He directed the committee to consider relevant court decisions, rely strictly on approved maps and undertake physical field verification of affected oil and gas wells where necessary.
In a statement, Head of Information and Public Relations Unit of RMAFC Maryam Umar Yusuf said that to ensure efficiency and accountability, Shehu disclosed that a two-tier governance structure had been established for the exercise.
The first tier, comprising technical officers and subject-matter experts from RMAFC, the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGoF), the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), will undertake ground-level verification, field inspections, technical analysis and initial report drafting.
The second tier, he said, would be the executive committee, led by the leadership of the commission, which would provide strategic direction, ensure inter-agency co-ordination and oversee final approvals before the findings are presented for formal ratification.
The chairman further stated that the commission would provide the committee with the necessary institutional support, including engagement with relevant security authorities to facilitate administrative clearances, tactical assistance and security coverage during field operations in complex and coastal environments. He added that Surveyors-General from affected states and representatives of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) would participate as observers to promote transparency.
Shehu urged members of the committee to approach the assignment with integrity, objectivity and patriotism, stressing that the exercise was aimed at achieving clarity, fairness, stability and lasting resolution of disputes over oil and gas wells among beneficiary states. He formally inaugurated the reconstituted IATC and expressed confidence that its work would strengthen the credibility of revenue monitoring and allocation in the country.
The secretary of the commission, Comrade Tosin Adeyanju, expressed appreciation to all invited members for their participation and urged them to put the interest of the nation first in the discharge of their responsibilities.
He called for objectivity, fairness and diligence, noting that the committee’s work would be subjected to greater scrutiny and attention in view of lessons from previous verification exercises. He expressed optimism that the committee would deliver a credible outcome that would make the nation and the respective states proud, while serving as a lasting legacy of their commitment to national development. He thanked all members for making time to attend and prayed for the successful completion of the exercise, to the glory of God.
