Firm optimistic PIA will bring respite to host communities

Against the lamentations that the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has failed to bring the much desired respite to host communities, Total Energies, said it has set up five clusters in its Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) within the Niger Delta region to ensure that the benefits, impacts of the act becomes visible in few months time.

Recently, Civil Society Organisations and policy experts argued that PIA had worsened the frustrations of oil host communities in the Niger Delta region especially, in the area of funding the HCDT.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of a capacity building workshop for the trustees and officials of the firm’s Host Community Development Trust, in Port Harcourt, yesterday, the Managing Director of TotalEnergies, Mr. Matthieu Bouyer, agreed that operationalising the requirements of the act with respect to the trust fund was quite a challenging process as it was the first of its kind.

He, however, declared that the firm has fully incorporated and funded five host community development trusts to drive home the objectives of the act.

Bouyer said with the steps taken, the business of community development will commence in essence. He described the training of about 200 officers of HCDT as a great milestone that will prepare them with the necessary skills to effectively carry out their various responsibilities.

He urged the people to guard the communities and groups against needless antagonism, confrontations and blockage of TotalEnergies operational sites and locations , warning that failing to do so may lead to dire sanctions in line with the PIA.
Also speaking, Executive Director, TotalEnergies JV Access , Obi Imemba said the PIA mandated the firm to set up the HCDT, which according to him ,will ensure sustainability.

“We are hopeful on positive impacts of PIA because we have followed all the steps accompanied by law and if the things are done well, there will be great success and we expect to see the benefits of the PIA in the coming months.”

A member of the HCDT, Dike Hopeson Dike, described the six months training as rigorous across the Obagi clusters in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local councils of the state, stating that within the next six months, the people will feel the impact of the PIA.