PIA will foster devt of host communities, better Nigeria’s economy – Mulade, CEPEJ boss
The National Coordinator of the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Chief Sheriff Mulade, has said that the diligent implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) will help facilitate the development of host communities and the economy of Nigeria by attracting and creating investment opportunities for local and foreign investors.
Chief Mulade, while speaking during the handover ceremony of the PIA Needs Assessment and CDP to PPL and the host communities of Umutu, Akoku-Uno, Ogbe-Uzu Adonishaka, and Umuosele (Obi-Iloh)/ Umueziogoli, all in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, appealed to the host communities of OML 38 and its operators, Platform Petroluem Limited (PPL), to key into the needs assessment document and Community Development Plan (CDP) facilitated by CEPEJ as part of the PIA implementation process, for their overall development and peaceful coexistence.
He said the PIA, which was signed into law on August 21, 2021 is one of the boldest attempts to overhaul the petroleum sector in Nigeria
Chief Mulade, who is the Ibe Serimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, emphasized that the needs assessment and CDP, which was conducted between June and July, 2023, for the benefit of all stakeholders, was prepared with competence, transparency and acceptability, devoid of any manipulation, interference and influence by any stakeholder, in line with the provisions of the PIA, taking into consideration the social, environmental and economic perspectives of each community.”
He added that the needs assessment and CDP “will serve as the bedrock and infrastructural template for the Host Community Development Trust, HCDT, BOT and other organs of the Trust” as well as enable the PPL implement the PIA for effective community development in its operational areas in the State, as stated in PIA Section 251 (1-4).
He urged the BOT, Management and Advisory Committees to see the document as a template for the implementation of the PIA for development, advising the PPL to embrace the contents of the needs assessment and the community development plan towards building a sustainable and harmonious working relationship with the host communities in their operational areas in Delta State..
Also speaking, the PPL Manager, Barra-Iloma Anioye, who received the Needs Assessment on behalf of the Managing Director, Mr. John Anim, noted that the desire of PPL to abide by the PIA and to ensure transparency necessitated them not only engage CEPEJ for the needs assessment exercise, but also adopt a five-year development plan.
He appealed to all stakeholders especially members of the BOT, Management and Advisory Committee to work in unison for the collective achievement of the objectives of the PIA, stressing that the interest of the communities should be paramount in the struggle to accelerate the development of the host communities.
GbaramatuVoice reports that, the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, was signed into law in August 2021. It introduces changes to the legal and governance framework, administrative processes, regulatory and fiscal terms, and host community engagements in the oil and gas industry.
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