The chairman of traditional Rulers Council Bayelsa State, King Bubaraye Dakolo has advised oil and gas host communities in the Niger Delta region to first of all kick against the portion of the Petroleum Industry Act which states that any oil disruption that takes place in their domain will be counted for them as loss against the three per cent yearly funds that will accrue to them from the oil companies operating in their domain.
King Dakolo who, is the Ibenanaowei IV of Ekpetiama Kingdom argued that the PIA was not actually meant to help the people of the Niger Delta region but rather, that the act was meant to further impoverish the people thereby making them to helpless.
Speaking recently in Yenagoa when a women group, the Bayelsa Amazons Advocay Campaign Group in conjunction with Global Care Rescue Mission led by Elizabeth Egbe paid him a courtesy visit, King Dakolo told them to kick against the obnoxious act first before asking for 30 per cent% of the 3% that supposed to come to the host community stating that if the act is allowed to be practiced like that, the host communities may not even have be any three per cent to share.
The king described the group’s campaign was laudable and noble but advised them that agitating for 30 per cent from the three per cent of all the funds accruing from oil may be shooting themselves on the foot. He informed them that according to a document from Shell, women inclusion must be at least 30 per cent.
He said:
“The PIA in my mind is an anti-people act. It is aimed against the people of the Niger Delta, the oil producing people; against men, women and children of the oil producing communities. And that is why no oil industry actor is complaining. In fact, they sponsored the bill.
“They pocketed those in the National Assembly, bought them over and greased their palms so that they pass this nonsensical document. Before you begin to talk about some enjoying three percent, the 30 per cent has to come first but will the 30 per cent come the way it was structured? They said for you to get the three per cent there must be non- disruption on oil and gas activities in your domain. The oil companies have not been the best of companies. In the last 70 years, they have shown that they are only out for the money.”
He advised the women, “You as women have a burden to wrestle with your male relatives that want to keep you excluded or suppressed because charity begins at home. So talk to your husbands. None of them should ever act discriminatory anywhere”.
Earlier, the leader of the group, Egbe had said the group was there to ask for women’s inclusion in the community trust fund that will be set up in accordance with the PIA seeking that more than 30 per cent of the money to be received from gas flaring penalties for the purposes of environmental remediation on and relief of host communities, as enshrined in the PIA, should consider the interest of women around host communities.
She continued, “The three per cent operational necessities for host communities’ development trust should be allocated to women. Appointment of board of trustees across the trust should consider 30 per cent composition for women. Appointment into host communities’ management committees should consider 30 per cent composition for women.
“Capital funds for host communities should be equitably allocated for the benefits of men and women. Matrix for distribution of trust funds should be technically structured to equitably benefit men and women. Fund managers to be appointed should be persons with gender equity licenses. Executive managers to be appointed should be made up of 30 per cent consideration for women. Host communities’ advisory committees should be constituted with 30 per cent women or more”.
The gender inclusion group also asked that each host community needs assessment should be designed through gender neutrality stating that host communities development plans should be developed through gender justice.
