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Mr Anthony Ifeanya, Anambra State Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, says the slow implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, (PIA) 2021, was causing apprehension in host communities.
Ifeanya made the assertion at the opening of a two-day workshop for the leaders of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas in the Southeast.
TheNewsZenith reports that the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, (Centre LSD), organised the workshop in Awka.
The workshop focused on Host Communities’ Provisions in the PIA and strategic leadership skills for leaders of oil and gas-producing host communities from Anambra, Abia, Delta, Ondo and Imo states.
The commissioner said that the full implementation of the Act would solve the problems of m trust, transparency, environmental degradation, oil spillage and crises between host communities and companies.
“Now the PIA has come into existence and it needs to be fully operational in the country.
“It is obvious the apprehension within communities is due to slow implementation of the PIA.
“There is an urgent need for confidence building among oil operators, the state government and the host communities.
“This is possible through mutual trust and transparency as stipulated in the PIA.
“This will eventually trigger rapid infrastructural development in the host communities,” Ifeanya said.
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In his presentation, Mr Itia Otabor, the Director of Strategy at the Centre LSD, urged leaders of host communities to be strategic in providing direction for the growth of their communities.
“If leaders of host communities are sincere and purposeful, the 13 per cent derivation, is enough to transform the various areas without rancour and unnecessary protest,” Otabor said.
Mr Monday Osasah, Executive Director, Centre LSD, remarked there was a need for sensitisation among host communities on their responsibilities as provided in the PIA.
”This workshop is to empower the leaders of host communities with strategic leadership skills.
”This will enable them to mobilise stakeholders and effectively engage with international oil companies and other relevant stakeholders.
“We expect that the communities will understand the provisions of the law and know what to demand. They will also know how to manage the demands to avert a crisis.
“We do not want what happened in Niger Delta to repeat itself. Hence, a need for early preparation of community leaders ahead of the implementation of the PIA in their zones,” Osasah said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Anambra State Civil Society Network, Mr Chris Azor said the project was aimed at ensuring that host communities benefited from the extractives industry, as enshrined in the PIA.
“The investors will contribute three per cent of their operational expenditure to the Trust Fund for projects development in host communities,” Azor said.
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