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Ebenezer Adurokiya | Warri
Ahead of the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), host communities have been admonished to take their destinies in their hands by monitoring their representatives to ensure accountability.
The Executive Director of Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), Mr. Tunji Idowu, gave the admonition at a week-long workshop, held in Warri, Delta State.
The workshop for host communities on the implementation of PIA was facilitated by PIND in collaboration with Ford Foundation.
Participants from host communities were drawn from five epicentre states of oil and gas extractive activities in the Niger Delta region comprising Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and Ondo states.
Addressing the participants, Idowu noted with delight the execution of the PIA since it was signed into law on August 16, 2021 in the efforts to establish good governance, best practice and ease of doing business in the oil and gas sector.
He said: “In restructuring the management of the host communities, Chapter 3 of the PIA mandates the creation of the Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) to improve the quality of life of the host communities’ population and improve accountability in the management of the HCDT fund.
“The project activities include creating awareness and deepening knowledge of the PIA’s technical components among community stakeholders.”
Idowu, who was represented by the Advocacy Manager, Chuks Ofulue, called for accountability from various HCDT.
He insisted that one of the gains expected from the PIA include “sustainable community development, manifested by the requirement for Participatory Needs Assessment (PNA) and Community Development Plans (CDP) to deliver sustainable growth.
“Capacity building of stakeholders will be a key element in ensuring the success and longevity of the HCDT and, in particular, building the capacities of members of the HCBoT, HCMC and the HCAC.
“It will enable members of the three components of the Trust to align their functions with the interests of the various community stakeholders.
“So, it is left for host communities to select people with integrity who will not divert their funds or use such for personal investments but for the benefit of the community.
“This is already ongoing between the oil companies and host communities as the accruing fund is now being put in the HCDT to be managed by accredited representatives of the host communities themselves. So, the era of the oil companies short changing host communities is gone.
“This forum is preparing the host communities for the benefits of the PIA as the communities are getting the capacity and the skills to be able to manage the funds for their own development.
“This is the time for host communities to take their destinies in their hands. Now that the funds are in their hands, the communities should keep monitoring eyes on their representatives in the Trust to ensure accountability.”
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