By Samson Zanunga, Jalingo

Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State has presented N213, 632,76, 810 billion as proposed appropriation for 2020 fiscal year, with a promise to remain focus and deliver more dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

The governor, who presented the budget yesterday, said his administration have resolved to make the state a leading economy state in the country before the year 2015.

Tagged “Budget of Accelerated Growth and Development”, the governor said his administration will remain focus and deliver more dividends of democracy as promised during our election campaigns.

He assured that the Executive Arm of the government will place high premium on the completion of all ongoing projects.

While pledging to work tirelessly to ensure full implementation of the budget, Governor Ishaku disclosed that the state was guided by micro economy variables, which includes the Gross Domestic Project (GDP), the United States dollar exchange rates among others. Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Joseph Albasu Kunini, lauded the efforts of the governor for being “meticulous” in the implementation of all the budgetary allocations as appropriated by the members.

This, according to him “has no doubt made your administration quite eventful as examplified by your execution of both the recurrent and capital projects across the state.”

A breakdown of the budget shows that has the ministry of works receiving the highest allocation of N77,30,421.517 billion, followed by both the Ministries of Health and education with N14 billion and N11 billion respectively.

‘Supreme Court never made order directing NBC to delineate disputed Olusasiri Oil Fields’

By Armstrong Tseaa, Abuja

The Supreme Court has not declared any winner in disputed ownership of Olusasiri Oil Fields and Oil wells between Rivers and Bayelsa states.

The Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Bayelsa State, Arthur, Andrew Seweniowor made this known yesterday in a press statement he personally signed.

This is coming at the heels of false claim of the Rivers State Government to the ownership of the Oluasiri Oil fields/Oil wells situated in the Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, an area referred to by the Rivers State Government as Soku Oilfields and Wells.

The statement reads: “For the avoidance of doubt the Supreme Court in the lead judgment delivered by Galadima JSC held as follows: “It is on account of the foregoing and because of the technical nature of the dispute and the claims of the parties (Bayelsa and Rivers States) this Court finds that the NBC as an authority vested with authorities and expertise know-how in dealing with this matter should have once and for all conducted an exhaustive exercise of delineating the disputed boundary. Hence the long-awaited 12th Edition of the Administrative Map when completed soonest would have been of tremendous assistance in settling this lingering dispute.

“In the light of the observations I have clearly expressed above I do not feel comfortable to grant the declarations sought until the NBC concludes its exercise of delineation of disputed boundary to finality.

“It will be futile and premature to determine the boundary of the two parties (States) in the present circumstances.

“However, the appropriate order to be made in the prevailing circumstance is that of striking out the Plaintiff’s suit, and I so order accordingly. Each party to bear its costs.”

This was the judicial decision of the apex court in the Supreme Court Suit No. CS/106/2009.

It could be recalled that Monday 16th December, 2019; the media was agog with reports that the Federal High Court, sitting at Abuja had delivered a judgment awarding the ownership of the said Oluasiri Oilfields/Oil wells to Rivers State purportedly pursuant to the judgment of the Supreme Court in Suit No. CS/106/2009 between Attorney-General, Rivers State v. Attorney-General, Bayelsa State & Anor.

“It is worthy of note that the Supreme Court in Suit No. CS/106/2009 struck out the action on the ground that it was futile and premature to determine the boundaries of the two states.

“Insofar as the NBC had not delineated the boundary between Rivers State and Bayelsa State.

“The Supreme Court never made a specific order directing the NBC to delineate the disputed boundaries.

“Although, it is part of the statutory function of the NBC to deal with, determine and intervene in any boundary dispute that may arise between any two States of the Federation with a view to settling such dispute.

“Bayelsa State is confident of its historical claim of ownership over the lands on which the Oilfields/Oil wells in issue are situated and had always expressed its willingness to fully participate in any joint delimitation and demarcation exercise in respect of the disputed boundary”.

The Commissioner faulted the government of Rivers State for absconding from alternative dispute resolution mechanism just to appeal to public opinion courts with sentiments using the instrumentality of sponsored mass media.