CONFAB Update--- Northern, Southern delegates agree on Resource Control

While delegates from the North insisted on retaining resource control on the Exclusive List, their counterparts from the South wanted it moved to the Concurrent List.

The National Conference Committee on Devolution of Powers said on Wednesday that its members have reached a truce on the controversial issue of control of mineral resources.
The truce was announced by the co-chairman of the committee, Victor Attah, on Wednesday evening.
Mr. Attah told journalists at the end of the committee’s meeting that the feuding delegates resolved to retain control of mineral resources (Item 39) on the Exclusive List.
The Exclusive List contains items that only the federal government handles.
Mr. Attah, however, said despite the retention, the committee agreed that states would now be involved in the management of such resources.
The committee had, after at least four earlier meetings, failed to agree on the crucial matter. While delegates from the North insisted on retaining resource control on the Exclusive List, their counterparts from the South wanted it moved to the Concurrent List.
The Concurrent List contains matters that can be legislated and acted upon by both the federal government and the state governments.
The debates sometimes degenerated to verbal insults.