…charge Nat’l Assembly on effective oversight on settlor, HCDTs
Stakeholders at a two-day Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) National Summit have called on the Federal Government (FG), to create a policy direction that would allow for periodic review of Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The stakeholders who were drawn from the Civil society groups, HCDTs, BoTs, the media amongst others also urged the National Assembly to improve their oversight function on settlors and HCDTs to ensure proper implementation of PIA in Hoscoms.
The conference was meant to brainstorm on the gaps created by oil and gas extraction activities in Host communities in the nine States of the Niger Delta region with the view to finding lasting solution to them, through the provisions of PIA.
The meeting was held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capial by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Connected Development (CODE), The BudgIT Foundation (BudgIT) KebetKache Women Development and Resource Centre Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group(NDEBUMOG), with supports from OXFAM in Nigeria.
Organised under the umbrella of “the Power of Voices/ Fair for All Coalition”, Speaker after Speaker at the conference observed that PIA implementation in Hoscoms is slow, they alleged that the settlor(extractive Firms operating in the various communities whose responsibility it is to release the 3% funds for the communuties development), are not transparent in their dealings with their respective HCDTs and the communities, they equally observed that most communuties are yet to see, feel the impact of the Petroleum laws in their communities as nothing has changed in their localities four years after PIA and its implementation processes began.
According to them, the communities inspite of the funds allotted to HOSCOMs for focused development and capacity building of the indigenes, the communuties are still languishing in abject poverty, poor road network, lack of social amenities, Healthcare facilities, among other development and economic generation projects, facilities.
The Summit equally observed that HOSCOM residents do not know anything about PIA, and how it works, unless their wide knowledge of Glibal Memorandums of understanding (G-MOU), hence they are yet to embrace PIA.
They also accused Settlors of attempts to hijack the composition, selection of membership of the HCDT, which according to the Summit them is sole responsibility of the communities to appoint members into HCDT. They also observed that the makeup of the community Development Trust is gender biased against the female forks.
They called Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulation Commission (NUPRC), who is the regulating body to the Settlors and HCDTs to rise up to their responsibilities to monitor and checkmate the activities of Settlors and HCDTs, and the slow pace of the programme with the view to fast track it.
In a communique reached at the end of the summit, the people recommended tht the FG should apart from providing policy direction for periodic review of the PIA, it should also ensure that fiscal and regulatory frameworks are created to promote equity, transparency, and community ownership.
“Tht the Government should support sustainable-livelihood and environmental-restoration/sustainability programs in oil-bearing areas as complementary interventions to the HCDT.
“Ensure that settlors comply with environmental social governance principles and standards in their operations in order to build community trust and create peaceful atmospheres in their host communities.”
To the National Assembly, the stakehokders recommended for the provide of adequate legislative oversight of all settlors and HCDTs to ensure full compliance of the HCDTs with the provisions of the PIA.
“Undertake constituency visits to host communities and settlors to ensure that settlors and HCDTs undertake operations and implement programmes that are sustainable, environmentally friendly, people centered, gender and youth sensitive, and that addresses the needs of al social groups in each community.
“Review and amend the PIA Act to address current gaps and lacunas that impinges on the rights of communities and grant overriding powers to settlors.”
They also suggested to NUPRC to strengthen regulatory capacity, enforce full compliance, and establish a monitoring dashboard tracking the performance of all HCDTs.
“Mandate all settlors to provide annual disclosure of the three percent OPEX funds, and the specific amounts distributed to HCDTs. Ensure that HCDTs publish all audited financial reports and maintain a repository of all approved Trust Deeds and Development Plans.”
To the operaring Oil and Gas Companies (Settlors), the activists urged them to ensure thy respect community autonomy and ensure inclusive participatory planning, gender sensitivity and equitable women and youth representation in all HCDT processes; commit to transparent communication, access to information, timely funding, and corporate accountability mechanisms that build trust.Publish and disclose all funds distributed to HCDTs annually.”
They equally urged the State and Local Governments to ensure the integration of HCDT projects into local development plans and complement Trust efforts with infrastructure and social-service investments. Establish state-level coordination desks for HCDT engagement and dispute resolution.”
To the traditional and Community institutions, they charged with the promotion of inclusive leadership, mediate conflicts fairly, and champion transparency in resource allocation. Uphold cultural values that foster unity and community participation, while thy urged Civil society groups and the media to continue with advocacy, provision of technical supports, civic education to deepen understanding of the HCDT.Conduct independent assessments and publish community scorecards on transparency and inclusion and amplifying of voices from host communities, highlight success stories, and expose malpractices to drive accountability, respectively.
They also challenged the media to partner civil society for public-interest journalism on extractive governance.
