Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lagos (Fides Service)- While there is growing world concern for rising oil prices, oil profit sharing is at the centre of political discussion in Nigeria, Africa’s main producer of oil with 2.5 million barrels a day.
In fact sharing of oil profits was one of the matters which should have been discussed by the National Conference on Political Reform charged with preparing amendments to the Constitution (written in 1999 under military regime) which closed yesterday.
“The government is trying to convince people the conference was a success but it made no progress was made because representatives of southern Nigeria were not present” local sources in Lagos told Fides. The South-South region includes the Niger Delta which has 80% of the country’s oil reserves. “Delegates from this area refused to attend the meeting because they reject proposals put forward by northern region delegates to increase Delta’s precentage from 13% to 17% whereas the Delta representatives want 25%” the sources said. “Two weeks ago the meeting was interrupted to try to reach an agreement, but no agreement was made” the sources added.
At present Delta receives on 13% of oil profits and the rest is divided among the 36 states of the Nigerian federation and the central government.
Delegates of the South-South region issued a statement on their reasons for protest in which they noted “the sacrifices of the Delta people forced to see their territory damaged by the production of oil, receiving in exchange “a miserable sum” and suffering widespread unemployment and poverty.”
A coalition of Delta groups met on Saturday 9 July at Port Harcourt (capital of Delta State) to support the claims. About 5,000 demonstrators were led by Moujahid Dokubo-Asari, head of the Niger Delta Peoples Voluntary Force NDPVF. Asari was accompanied by leaders of 13 separatist groups which in the past fought each other but are now united against the central government. The separatists have formed a Sovereign National Conference which wants to divide Nigeria into independent nations on the basis of ethnic origin or, subordinately, greater autonomy for the individual states.
Nigeria has more than 250 different ethnic groups and some observers fear it could implode in the next 15 years. “It is impossibile to foresee the future of the country” our sources said. “There are positive signs such as a more effettive battle against corruption and the recent decision of creditors to cancel 60 percent of Nigeria’s debt. But arguement over oil profit sharing among the regions and the central government could rekindle old ethnic disputes. And religion, sad to say, could be exploited for political reasons” the sources concluded. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 12/7/2005 righe 43 parole 540)
