PPDF Takes HCDT Awareness Campaign to Ikot Abasi Oil Community

By Imo Etim

In a bid to position the people of Ikot Abasi local government area of Akwa Ibom State to engage with relevant stakeholders for the implementation of Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) in their communities, a Non-Governmental Organisation, Peace Point Development Foundation has carried out a one-day multi-stakeholders dialogue in the area.

The dialogue which held last week in Essene Community in Ikot Abasi local government area with support from Global Greengrants Fund and Oilwatch Africa had elders, youths and women exposed to the framework and nitty-gritty of the Petroleum Industry Act, the HCDT Act and its expected benefits for the people of Ikot Abasi local government area.

Ikot Abasi local government area is an oil rich local government area currently playing host to Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Sterling Global, and Total Energies.

The engagement tagged ” Host Communities Development Trust Multi-Stakeholders’ Dialogue” engaged the stakeholders in dialogue where issues agitating their minds on the subject matter were elaborately explained.

The Coordinator of Peace Point Development Foundation, Umo Isua-ikoh noted the dialogue was to empower the community stakeholders to better understand the PIA and lend their voice through their active participation in the process for incorporation and effective implementation of the Trust.

He expressed optimism that the dialogue better equip the communities with the opportunity to know the provisions of law thus use it knowledgeable and on the standpoint of strength to get their rights.

In his presentation, the Resource Person, an Investigative Journalist and Resource Governance Expert, Ekemini Simon led the participants through the sections of the PIA that explains what makes a community a host community,  the objective of the Trust, the arms of the trust, the fund matrix, deadlines, responsibility of the settlor and the regulator and also the dispute resolution mechanism. 

He noted that all in the communities have a role to play by participating in the need assessment which will be used for the formulation of a five year Community Development Plan (CDA).

While noting that section 240 (2) of the PIA provides mandates an oil and gas company to make an annual contribution to the Host Community Development Trust Fund of an amount equal to three per cent of the company’s actual annual operating expenditure of the preceding financial year, Simon said it is the responsibility for the community to find out what is the actually the operating expenditure of the Settlors in their domain hence know what would accrue to the community.

He pointed out that it was also the responsibility of the community to find out from some of the settlors and the regulator, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission on why Section 236 of the PIA which provides for the Trust to be incorporated within 12 months from the effective date for existing mining lease is not adhered to.

He also charged the community on the need to engage with the regulator for insight into the amount received so far from gas flaring fines fared in their domains and the specific environmental remediation projects embarked upon by NUPRC in line with Section 104 (4).

One of the participants, Utibe Uduak thanked PPDF for the dialogue and said that their eyes have been opened to their rights.

He pointed out that the community were bereft of insight over the provisions of the PIA stressing that their ignorance must have contributed to the companies not implementing the HCDT about two years after the Act came into force.

” He noted ” When you don’t know your rights, anyone can easily treat you like a slave. In Ikot Abasi local government area here, we have ExxonMobil, Sterling Global, Total and Elf Petroleum. Yet, we are not aware of this Trust. That is because it has not been implemented here.

” If they have done it, we should have at least heard when the needs assessment is conducted. We do not even know the amount of money that should accrue to us. The companies are taking us for granted because of our ignorance. But now, we thank God that our eyes have been opened by the Peace Point Development Foundation through this dialogue.”