HCDT: Ibeno Youths Outline Demands for Reviewed Community Development Plan
By Ekemini Simon
Following the implementation of the Host Communities Development Trust for the Incorporated Trustees of NNPC/MPN JV Ibeno Host Community Development Trust (Ibeno community), the youths of Ibeno have called for a reviewed Community Development Plan (CDP) that will capture the real needs of Ibeno people.
The call was made on Friday by the Leaders of all the Youth Groups in Ibeno during a round table dialogue with stakeholders on community service delivery by the Host Communities Development Trust Fund organized by the Clement Isong Foundation with support from Action Aid Nigeria.
In the demands presented by the President of Ibeno Graduate Forum, Kofi Asuquo, the youths asked that the Community Development plan should be reviewed to include the construction of additional access roads to improve connectivity between the Western and Eastern parts of Ibeno couple with the provision of a reliable and sustainable power supply for the communities.
They asked for the Trust to develop and implement a centralized water access system that sends water across Ibeno communities to provide reliable access to filtered and clean water.
The youths demanded that the Trust make provision for a revitalized healthcare system, establish and maintain intermittent health intervention programs and agriculture innovation initiatives to support community well-being and agricultural advancement.
The youths said the CDP should capture the provision for the Trust to develop and offer professional skill training programmes, post-graduate courses, and vocational training opportunities.
Part of the demands included “Renovate abandoned skills acquisition centres to provide training for fishermen and market traders. Additionally, increase the number of high schools and tertiary institutions in the community to enhance literacy and educational attainment.
“Provide necessary embankments to protect against erosion and establish sustainable maintenance groups to ensure ongoing upkeep of the infrastructure.
“International oil-producing companies should create a transparent and accountable forum for regular engagement with youth representatives from the host community, holding monthly meetings to address welfare issues and concerns affecting the community.
” IOC Host Community Development Trusts should ensure transparency and accountability in their operations, make Community Development Plan accessible to the public and establish a website to keep track of progress.”
Earlier, in a panel discussion, a member of the Management Committee of the Trust, Engr Cyril Akpan noted that in the development of the Community Development Plan, the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act was adhered to during needs assessment by requesting for priority needs of each village.
He noted that the villages that sent in their needs failed to engage relevant stakeholders as provided for in the PIA hence the reasons for continuous demands.
While explaining that there are both short and long term projects in the offing, Akpan however assured that all the projects and programmes that have been implemented so far are executed in line with the approved CDP.
Earlier, the Alternate Chairman of the Board of Trustee of the Trust, Mr. Diamond Akpanika said despite being inaugurated in July, the trust was not funded until after six months. He noted that the projects and programmes of the Trust commenced in December with a medical outreach which he said witnessed not less than 120 operations.
Akpanika said the Trust has recently paid bursary to every Ibeno child who is in tertiary institution, N500,000 to Ibeno students who study law and is in the process of awarding scholarship to students who study specialized courses such as medicine and engineering.
Other educational programmes of the Trust highlighted includes training of over 60 students for JAMB classes for six weeks which they were conveyed after to Aba in Abia State for their examination.
The Alternate Chairman said that the Trust has also shown concern in the environmental challenges facing the area as they had to be the first Trust in Nigeria to apply for a review of the CDP at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to capture projects that will address ecological challenges of the area.
Akpanika also revealed that already the N1.5 billion paid into the Reserved Fund of the Trust has yielded over N20 million and has been ploughed back to the Reserve Fund.
He said already the Trust has engaged an auditor for the publication of its annual report in line with the demands of transparency in the management of the Trust and added that when request for Community Development Plan is made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, they will be willing to oblige. The Alternate Chairman also said that the creation of a website for the trust is in motion as it will give more information about the runnings of the Trust.
Earlier, the Executive Director of Clement Isong Foundation (CIF), Elkanah Oluyori commended the participants at the dialogue for their sincere engagements.
He said the reason CIF held the dialogue was to mobilize critical stakeholders on the Host Community Development Trust to ensure that the needs and demands of young people are adequately captured in the Community Development Plan.
Oluyori said through the dialogue, CIF had pushed to ensure that there is progress in the implementation of the Trust and the people who will benefit from the Trust understand what the challenges are and the progress so far recorded.
The Executive Director added ” We held this dialogue basically because we have heard and also seen that some of the priority issues in the community are not being addressed. There was a need to have a dialogue to bring the youths, the community and the members of the Host Communities Development Trust to the table to understand the challenges and see how we can mediate.”
Commenting on CIF assessment of the Trust, the Executive Director said although the managers of Trust and Board of Trustee Members have highlighted beautiful projects and programmes, since CIF and the community members are yet to access the Community Development Plan, they are constrained in measuring the progress.
The Clement Isong Foundation called on the managers of the Trust to make public the plan and the annual report as that will engender transparency and accountability expected in the management of the Trust.
The Executive Director called on other Trust to ensure that the projects and programmes in the Community Development Plan are a reflection of the true needs of the communities.