RMAFC Moves to Resolve Disputes Over Oil, Gas Well Coordinates
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, has commenced a fresh verification of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells following complaints from states over an earlier exercise. The commission said the previous draft report had been discarded after receiving claims, counterclaims and objections, particularly concerning the coordinates and locations of the affected wells. The development was disclosed in a statement issued by RMAFC’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Maryam Umar-Yusuf, after the inauguration of a reconstituted Inter-Agency Technical Committee in Abuja. Speaking at the event, RMAFC Chairman, Dr Mohammed Shehu, said the new exercise would cover disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells from 2017 to date. He explained that the fresh process would involve the re-examination of coordinates and the accurate plotting of verified locations on approved maps. The outcome could affect the distribution of the constitutionally recognised 13 per cent derivation revenue among oil and gas-producing states, as the location of producing assets is a key factor in determining the beneficiaries.
Shehu said the exercise was part of the commission’s constitutional responsibility to monitor revenue accruing to and distributed from the Federation Account. He directed the committee to consider relevant court decisions, use approved maps and undertake physical inspections where necessary to establish the actual locations of disputed wells. RMAFC said the verification would operate under a two-tier structure. The technical team, comprising officials and experts from RMAFC, the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, the National Boundary Commission and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, will conduct fieldwork, inspections and technical analysis before preparing an initial report. An Executive Committee led by RMAFC will provide strategic oversight and supervise the final approval process. The commission also plans to involve security agencies during field operations, particularly in difficult coastal areas. Surveyors-General from affected states and representatives of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) will participate as observers. Shehu and RMAFC Secretary, Tosin Adeyanju, urged members of the committee to act with integrity, objectivity and fairness in order to produce a credible outcome and help resolve the disputes among beneficiary states.
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