Niger Delta Leader Advocates 70% Revenue Retention

Niger Delta leader Elder Joseph Ambakederimo has advocated for a restructuring of Nigeria's federal system to allow states to retain 70% of revenues from local resources. The call, made during a birthday media chat marking his 65th birthday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, emphasized the need for equitable development and resource control.

Ambakederimo, the convener of the South-South Reawakening Group (SSRG), argued that Nigeria's current federal arrangement was insufficient for the rapid development required by the Niger Delta region and the entire country. He proposed that states should have greater control over their natural resources while contributing a predetermined percentage to the federal government, which would foster healthy competition among states and enable them to develop according to their unique circumstances.

Ambakederimo emphasized that the Niger Delta had suffered environmental and economic consequences due to resource exploitation, despite contributing significantly to Nigeria's foreign exchange earnings. He stressed that states bearing the environmental burden should reap greater economic benefits from resources extracted from their territories.

The resource-control debate should not be seen as exclusive to the Niger Delta, as states with newly discovered mineral resources have begun to attract investors. Ambakederimo suggested reverting to the principles of the 1963 Constitution, which allowed regions to retain a substantial portion of revenues from resources within their domains.

He advocated for a comprehensive restructuring of Nigeria's political system rather than piecemeal reforms, citing local government autonomy and state police as examples of reforms that should be considered within a broader framework. Commending Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State for speaking out against the current revenue-sharing arrangement, Ambakederimo highlighted the need for greater equity in Nigeria's federal system.