Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa
Stakeholders from Bayelsa State, including leaders of the newly inaugurated Host Community Development Trust (HCDT), have expressed frustrations with the processes and attitude of the multinational oil companies in accessing the three per cent Operating Expenditure (OPEX).
Over two years since the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was signed into law, the leaders lamented that the OPEX which is accrued to the host communities by the PIA, to enable them carry out projects in their areas were not being accessed.
The leaders who expressed their discontentment during a town hall meeting organised by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for HCDTS, multinational oil companies and traditional rulers in Bayelsa State, urged the regulatory body to ensure that the host communities are not shortchanged.
In his opening remarks, the National President Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM), Chief Benjamin Tamaramiebi, described as shameful on the part of the federal government that the PIA was yet to be fully implemented in Niger Delta oil producing communities years after it was signed into law
His words: “We have a meagre three per cent but the question is, the three per cent that we are talking about have they implemented it? After two and a half years of the PIA, has the communities really been impacted with this three per cent? That is the question, communities have waited for so long ,the first time we heard they are doing everything possible to ensure that they kick start, behold after six months they are still implementing, two years completed nothing has been done rather one story to another .
“The question is: Are these sectors deceiving us or the government deceiving the communities? These are small grants that are supposed to be coming in to the communities.
“How can we get our community to benefit? That is the reason why we came together to ask questions.
We will keep pressurising the head of the regulatory agency to tell us why they are not implementing it.
“Some HDCTs have received funds and some have not and we want to know exactly what is the problem.”
In his remark, the Chairman of Yenagoa/Ogbia HCDT, Mr. Zuwa Konugha, regretted that they were yet to access the full funds required by the law from one of the multinational oil companies in the state.
Konugha said: “We were inaugurated in March last year and we had believed that immediately after inauguration, the funds will be release and things will take proper shape but one year down the line we are still waiting.
“The claims that they have funded the HCDTS, in our case, the dollar component up till now is not complete and so we are still expecting that something should be done quickly, so that the communities will start having a feel of the PIA implementation.
“So far the Implementation is our concern, we have come to the reality that the three per cent is too meager and for a community like us that is working on a capital intensive project to mitigate against flooding. We are appealing to the National Assembly to help us amend and review the three per cent to at least 10 or 15 per cent to enable host communities execute legacy projects.”
Also speaking the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Chapter of Traditional Rulers of Oil Producing Communities (TROMPCOM) and traditional ruler of Ekowe, Dr. Tobord Godswill, said although the funds accrued had been paid, they have not been given approval and authorisation to spend it.
He said: “I am from a different HCDT and our area is operated by different oil company fortunately for us they have paid us in full but they say that we cannot appropriate and spend until all the HCDTS are fully inaugurated across all. the oil producing communities nationwide.”
In his response, the Chief Executive, NUPRC, Dr. Gbenga Komolafe, described the Commission as the agency vested with the responsibility of implementing Chapter (3) of PIA dedicated to the host communities.
Komolafe, who was represented by Mr. Sylvester Bighoro pointed out that the Commission had been waiting assiduously for the implementation and operationalisation of the HCDTS in line with the provisions of the PIA.
His said: “”It is worthy to mention that the CCE recently inaugurated the HCDT forum comprising BOT chairmen and secretaries of the HCDTs. This forum is to ensure that all BOT members are adequately carried along in the process and to serve as a platform for them to get needed clarifications and guidance from the Commission.”
