UROAGAN faults DESOPADEC’s sharing formula, says Urhobo is highest producer of oil, gas in Delta

A group christened Urhobo Oil and Gas Nationality (UROAGAN) has called for urgent steps to be taken to correct the economic deprivation and political starvation of the Urhobo ethnic nationality in the Nigerian state despite the huge contribution of the Urhobo nation to the oil and sector of the country.

UROAGAN at a press conference on Monday, January 15, 2023, in Ughelli headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, decried a situation whereby the Urhobo nation which is the highest producer of crude oil and gas in Delta State and has a volume of crude oil and gas production far more than the quantum of production of some states is not a given place on the board of the National Petroleum Company NNPC Limited nor as Directors in the corporation as well as other strategic oil and gas corporations like NPDC, NAPIMS, NGC, DPR, WRPC, NUPRC, PPMC, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

National Chairman of UROAGAN, Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini, flanked by the group’s National Secretary, Okakuro Anthony Onyokoko, and Patron, Chief Godwin Ogbetuo, read the press release with the title “URHOBO ETHNIC NATIONALITY PRODUCES THE HIGHEST CRUDE OIL AND GAS IN DELTA STATE: A CALL ON THE  FEDERAL & STATE GOVERNMENTS TO GIVE URHOBO THE DESERVED BENEFITS”.

The group revealed that the production capacities and facilities of Urhobo Ethnic Nationality exist in 20 out of the 24 Urhobo Kingdoms: Agbarha-Otor Kingdom, Agbarho Kingdom, Arhavwarien Kingdom, Effurun-Otor Kingdom, Evwreni Kingdom, Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, Idjerhe Kingdom, Mosogar Kingdom, Oghara Kingdom, Okparabe Kingdom, Okpe Kingdom, Olomu Kingdom, Orua-Ivie Kingdom, Orogun Kingdom, Ogor Kingdom, Udu Kingdom, Ughelli Kingdom, Ughievwen Kingdom, Uvwie Kingdom and Uwheru Kingdom.

It lamented that despite all the enormous contributions by the Urhobo Ethnic Nationality which are very visible in 20 kingdoms, the Urhobos have nothing to show for it in the government-owned establishments and appointments in Nigeria.

UROAGAN therefore called President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who they described as a reliable Administrator and Leader to change the narrative and status quo.

The Urhobos according to the group reject the casualization of their sons and daughters in the petroleum sector expressing optimism that President Tinubu will correct the anomaly in further government appointments to reflect the appointment of Urhobo sons and daughters into the critical oil and gas establishments in Nigeria.

“Urhobo is a very peaceful Ethnic Nationality with a high sense of Nigeria Nationhood but the reward for our peace and loyalty to the Nigeria project has been rewarded with deprivation in the petroleum sector where we are a major contributor. Our volume of crude oil and gas production is far more than the quantity of production of some states.

“The NNPCL has become a cake fully baked for some influential Nigerians sitting and presiding over our supposed commonwealth. The Urhobos are not found on the board of NNPCl or even as any of the Directors in the corporation. Those who do not bear the brunt of oil and gas exploration and exploitation are the ones occupying the various lucrative offices in the NNPCL. The very few Urhobos in the corporation are not promoted as their counterparts or colleagues are speedily promoted above them. In fact, there are Urhobos that have been perpetually kept as casuals in NNPCL without being staffed. All these scenarios stated above also apply to other strategic Oil and gas corporations like NPDC, NAPIMS, NGC, DPR, WRPC, NUPRC, PPMC, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority etc.

“The question is, do we shift our stand from being a peaceful Ethnic Nationality and resort to self-help against this calculated oppression and deprivation? The answer is no. We therefore call on the Federal government as a matter of urgency, to correct these abnormalities against the Urhobo people given our huge contributions to the oil and gas production in Nigeria,” UROAGAN.

On the 13% Derivation Fund to the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Urhobo Oil and Gas Nationality expressed shock that ” the Urhobos who produce the highest crude oil and gas in Delta state is subjected to political manipulations in the state-owned oil Commission thereby bringing Urhobo to 3rd in benefits which is nothing but a clear cut marginalization.

The group described it as “ridiculous and callous” noting that: “The indices being used today at DESOPADEC is an act of deprivation and economic starvation. This ugly practice is not even documented in any form nor is there any empirical evidence to back it up. It is not from the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, nor any government office. So what gives authority to such imagination of placing Urhobo as 3rd? It should be reversed with immediate effect and put Urhobo first.

“The question, one may ask, what makes production figures static for over 16 years? We are calling on the Delta state government to as a matter of urgency facilitate an official report from DPR on the production of Crude oil and Gas of the various Ethnic Nationalities in Delta state.

In the area of education, UROAGAN frowned seriously at the gross neglect of students of Urhobo origin particularly in the educational programmes of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) saying “Our hearts are in pain that despite our huge contribution to the petroleum sector by giving huge foreign exchange to Nigeria, our children are highly omitted from the large sponsorship of Urhobo students from the free home base and overseas scholarships. This is sad.

“We strongly call on the Management of PTDF to urgently consider our children for these scholarships. If this is not addressed, it amounts to telling us to wake up from sleep as a sleeping Giant.”

Below are the production capacities, and facilities of Urhobo Ethnic Nationality from  Urhobo Kingdoms: