Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, has urged host communities in the Niger Delta to resolve internal conflicts and foster peace, emphasizing that a stable environment is crucial for development under the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA.
Speaking on Thursday at the KEFFESO HCDT Stakeholders Forum in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Lokpobiri cautioned that pipeline vandalism and unrest negatively impact the very communities seeking economic benefits from oil and gas operations.
“The 3% allocated to host communities under the PIA is calculated based on the volume of crude oil successfully extracted. If production is disrupted, the benefits reduce. It is in our collective interest to ensure a peaceful and collaborative atmosphere.”
The one-day seminar, themed “Envisioning Sustainable Community Development in Niger Delta Host Communities: Identifying Challenges and Actualizing the PIA Paradigm Shift,” iss organized by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and First E&P Limited at the NCDMB Conference Centre.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatshola Ogbe, the Board’s Director of Legal Services, Barr. Naboth Onyesoh, reaffirmed the need to integrate host communities into the oil and gas value chain.
“This forum is a platform to strengthen the role of host communities and ensure they are actively involved in the industry’s value creation,” Onyesoh stated.
The discussions at the forum focused on strategies for sustainable community development, improved collaboration with oil and gas firms, and maximizing the PIA’s impact on local economies.
