FG to wind up amnesty programme, reviews 13% derivation allocation

President Muhammadu Buhari is set to review the application of 13 per cent derivation allocation to the oil producing states, Minister of state for Petroleum Resources, Dr.Ibe Kachikwu has disclosed.

Kachikwu, who disclosed this in Abuja during an interview with journalists noted that the move is part of Federal Government’s plans to address the issues confronting the Niger Delta.

“The president is also reviewing the proposal we gave him to look at how the 13 per cent derivation is applied. Right now it is a budgeting tool for state governments. We are going to be appealing to them to begin to put that into the core areas of the oil producing communities. And not just see it as a budgeting number,” he said.

According to him, all stakeholders including the president, the minister from the states and security chiefs would meet next Tuesday with about 50 leaders of the Niger Delta, in order to tackle the lingering crisis in the region.

He noted that the Federal Government would be launching a $10 billion infrastructure rebirth programmes in the region, adding that fund which will be released in installments, would not come strictly from the Federal Government, but also from individuals, interested international organisations and state governments.

“It is a fact that governors will have to come together from the region to begin to look at cross state interests, whether there will be railways, whether there will be power facilities, whether there will be specialist hospitals or whatever.”

The Minister who also disclosed Kachikwu said government was also looking into the amnesty programme towards its wind up in about a year, saying that people have taken it to be ‘a social collection point.

He further noted that the government would also address the issue of funding for those that are ready to go into private businesses.