Five years after the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Civil Society Organisations and experts in the area of natural resource governance have called for effective implementation and functioning of Host Community Development Trusts in the Niger Delta region.
The experts, during a training session for members of Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) held to empower them on the effective and efficient implementation of the Trusts Funds, noted that the implementation process of the PIA in most HCDTs is haphazardly done, as some communities are yet to get HCDT, five years after the PIA was passed into law.
Dr. Mike Uzoigwe, an independent consultant in natural resource governance, expressed concerns over the slow and haphazard implementation of the HCDT provisions.
According to Uzoigwe, several communities are yet to establish their HCDTS, hindering the realisation of the Act’s objectives.
Speaking with journalists, he attributed the challenges to various factors, including the oil companies, litigation, and internal community issues, as well as the regulator, NUPRC, saying the challenges have made it difficult to assess the effectiveness of the HCDT implementation.
Despite the challenges, he stated that some communities have successfully utilised the HCDT funds to advance development in their areas.
He said: “We have also noticed that, number one, implementation has been slow and it’s been haphazard, and several communities are yet to have their Host Community Development Trust established.
“You can blame some of that on companies, you can also blame some of that on litigation and things going on within communities creating problems for that to happen, you can also blame that on the regulator N.U.P.R.C, so that has sort of made it difficult now to make a good judgement of whether we’re doing well in this aspect or not.
“There are some communities, who have actually taken this opportunity and advanced development in their areas, but what we are saying is how can we make this whole process more effective. What we want in five years or ten years’ time is for the narrative in the Niger Delta to change completely.”
Dr. Uzoigwe emphasized the need to make the process more effective, with the ultimate goal of changing the narrative in the Niger Delta within the next five to ten years.
To achieve this goal, Dr. Uzoigwe stressed the importance of empowering communities with knowledge of the PIA provisions and regulations.
He noted that the future of their communities is in their hands, and they need to understand their responsibilities and what they can demand from other stakeholders, including companies and regulators.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Kebetkache Development and Resource Centre, Dr. Emem Okon, urged representatives of HCDTs from Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, Delta, and Akwa Ibom states to seize the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in their communities.
Speaking about the importance of the training, he noted that the training was designed to equip HCDT members with the necessary knowledge and skills, especially focusing on understanding the PIA provisions, needs assessment, and community development planning.
She stated that the meeting aimed to discuss how HCDTs can be made more effective and efficient in utilising the 3% operational cost allocation for community development projects, as provided for in the Petroleum Industry Act.
Dr. Okon emphasised the importance of transparency, sincerity, and people-oriented decision-making in managing the funds.
She explained that the 3% allocation is broken down into 75% for projects, 20% for savings, and 5% for administration, and that HCDT members have the responsibility to identify and prioritise community needs.
Dr. Okon stressed that community-led development is crucial and that HCDT members should engage with various groups, including women, youth, farmers, and community leaders, to determine the most pressing needs.
