PANDEF Advocates for 50% Derivation for Oil States

The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has demanded an increase in the derivation allocation for oil-producing states from the current minimum of 13% to 50%. This request aims to address environmental damage and years of underdevelopment in the Niger Delta.

The forum made this call in a communiqué after a meeting of its Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee in Abuja, which was read by its National Chairman, Dr Godknows Igali. PANDEF argued that the current derivation rate, established under Section 162(2) of the 1999 Constitution, has not changed in over two decades despite ongoing environmental and developmental challenges.

The forum also urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to eliminate the onshore/offshore dichotomy in revenue allocation, emphasizing that offshore oil exploration impacts coastal communities. Additionally, PANDEF called for urgent legislative steps to address these issues, adequate funding for the Ogoni clean-up program, and greater investment in the region's gas resources.