NUPRC Tasks Host Communities Not To Truncate PIA

The Delta State Representative of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC Olusegun Ogunnubi has advised stakeholders from the Oil and Gas producing communities not to truncate the setting up of the Host Communities Development Trust Fund provided for by the Petroleum Industry Act.
Speaking recently in Yenagoa during a stakeholder’s sensitization meeting for the host communities, the NUPRC representative disclosed that the essence of the meeting was to sensitize them on the gains of the Petroleum Industry Act.
Chapter three of the Petroleum Industry Act, provides a legal framework to ensure cordial relations between International Oil Companies and their host communities. It also sets up a development roadmap in oil communities.
Ogunnubi said “The thrust of the meeting is to sensitize the communities on Chapter three of the Petroleum Industry Act, which dwells on the local governance structure to manage the three percent fund approved for host communities in the PIA.
“NUPRC with its best global practices in conjunction with relevant stakeholders has developed robust implementation strategies to positively curb restiveness among the host communities.
“The whole essence is to ensure that there is peace in the host communities because if there is unrest, it will impact negatively on the activities of oil exploration. The whole essence is for people to know their roles and to know that the three percent will come.
Also speaking, one of the resource persons, Francis Osogolo said that some oil producing communities in Bayelsa State want an amendment of the Petroleum Industry Act to address issues of local employment, inclusiveness as well as increment in the current 3% set aside for the development of host communities.
He asked “Will agitations always be there? Yes, agitations will always be there. But what the commission is doing is to reduce it to the barest minimum. Will this act change anything? Yes, less than three years, it is a work in progress.
One of the participants His Royal Highness, Theophilus Kenibara disclosed that the host communities should be looking at pressurizing the relevant stakeholders to increase the host community fund from three percent to 15 percent stating that even the oil companies were not employing the locals.
He said “We should be looking at increasing the funding from three percent to 15 percent. That should be the agitation. Most of the IOCs are even reneging on employing our youths”.
“PIA does not address unemployment opportunities. We should be looking at employment and local contract because the people that own the wealth must be empowered.
Another participant, Michael Ikisa admitted that he has learnt a lot from the workshop stating that, with what was taught them, they are heading somewhere.
Topics delivered at the workshop touched on how the three percent fund for host communities could be used to promote development, guarding against vandalism of oil infrastructure and challenges of implementing the host community development section of the PIA while participants were drawn from various oil communities in Bayelsa State.
Despite teething challenges experienced presently, participants at the forum agreed that the PIA deserves to be given a try.
Participants were drawn from the various oil bearing communities in Bayelsa State.