Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Stakeholders, women and youths of Ibeno Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State have demanded transparency, accountability and inclusivity in the management of the 3 percent OPEX funds accruable to host communities, by the Ibeno Host Community Development Trust.
The people of Ibeno made the demand during a townhall meeting in Upenekang, Ibeno, organized by the Network Advancement Programme for Poverty and Disaster Risk Reduction, NAPPDRR, with funding from Oilwatch Africa and Global Greengrants Fund.
Speaking on behalf of Ibeno oil and gas host communities, Mr. Okon Bassey Etiah, decried the infrastructural deficits and alarming poverty in Ibeno, despite the huge oil and gas assets and resources in the area.
Etiah said the need for greater accountability and transparency on the part of the management of the Ibeno HCDT was imperative, to tackle the poverty and infrastructural challenges in the core oil and gas-producing communities in Ibeno.
Earlier, Executive Director of NAPPDRR, Mr Emem Edoho, said the group has taken the action of amplifying the community’s voices and escalating citizens’ engagement in the host communities of Akwa Ibom State, under the #FollowHCDTF campaign on the PIA.
Edoho said the campaign was mainly to entrench accountability, transparency and tracking of HCDT funds for the sustainable development of oil and gas-producing communities in Akwa Ibom State.
He said; “The campaign is a program to address environmental challenges, protect biodiversity, climate and social justice. We are sure with stronger collaboration with critical stakeholders, women, youths, PWDs, and community-based organizations in the host communities, we can drive the desired change that the host communities need.
“Particularly, in the PIA 3% OPEX funds remitted by the settlors to the Host Community Development Trust, like Ibeno HCDT of Mobil/NNPCL JV.
“NAPPDRR is committed to a prosperous future, sustainable development and equitable benefit-sharing for all the citizens of the host communities.”
For his part, the Commissioner for Environment, Petroleum and Mineral Resources in Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Uno Etim Eno, lauded the efforts of NAPPDRR in sensitizing oil and gas host communities in the state, promoting environmental justice and biodiversity, and advocating for climate change mitigation.
Eno, represented at the event by the Senior Engineer, Directorate of Petroleum Resources, Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment, Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Engr. Idongesit Essien also commended NAPPDRR for canvasing for transparency in the management of funds accruable to host communities in the Petroleum Industry Act.
