Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has stated that for oil-rich communities to access and enjoy the Host Community Development Fund, they must stop all manner of infighting and disruption of oil production.
The Minister stated this while speaking at the KEFFESO Stakeholders Forum in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The forum, with the theme: “Envisioning Sustainable Community Development in Niger Delta Host Communities: Identifying Challenges and Actualizing The PIA Paradigm Shift,” brought together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for maximising the benefits of the PIA.
Lokpobiri noted that the PIA was enacted to bring stability to the oil sector and address longstanding grievances about underdevelopment in host communities.
The minister, however, lamented that internal disputes among stakeholders had made it difficult for these communities to access and utilise the funds meant for their development.
He reiterated that host communities must overcome internal conflicts that hinder their access to the funds.
“This KEFFESO Stakeholders Forum is to see how host communities can maximise the benefits from the Host Communities Trust Funds as prescribed by the PIA.
“If oil production is disrupted, everyone loses—the federal government, oil companies, and the host communities themselves. That is why host communities must collaborate with the government and oil companies to ensure smooth operations,” Lokpobiri stated.
The Minister called on Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) in the Niger Delta to effectively utilise the three per cent operational funds allocated to them under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to drive sustainable development.
He further stressed that oil-producing communities should take ownership of the oil and gas facilities within their domains and work with relevant stakeholders to ensure sustainable benefits.
“As stakeholders who have their respective stakes in oil and gas operations in the country, we should work together to ensure that we maximise the benefits of oil and gas.”
Lokpobiri also highlighted the global push for cleaner energy, warning that the relevance of fossil fuels depends on their extraction and marketability.
“Don’t forget there is a global campaign against the continuation of production of fossil fuel. Fossil fuel will never go away. Fossil fuel will not have any value unless you bring it out of the ground or from the sea to the market, that is why we need this collaboration,” he said.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Omotsola Ogbe reaffirmed the board’s commitment to leveraging the provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.
Ogbe, who was represented by the Board’s Director of Legal Services, Naboth Onyesoh, noted that the NCDMB’s Community Content Guidelines are designed to ensure sustained community engagement and that local content is prioritized throughout the oil and gas value chain.
