Mkpoikana Udoma
Yenagoa — Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has renewed his call for the amendment of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, insisting that oil-producing states must be given statutory oversight roles in the management of resources as well as host community funds.
Speaking through his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, at the 2025 Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair, NOGOF in Yenagoa, Diri argued that the current structure of the PIA unfairly sidelines state governments while holding them responsible for the consequences of poor community-level governance.
The governor emphasized that while the PIA enables host communities to directly receive oil proceeds, state governments are often left to resolve disputes arising from mismanagement, without having any legal authority to supervise or intervene.
He called on the National Assembly to urgently revisit the law to allow for better synergy between federal, state, and community stakeholders in managing oil and gas development projects.
“The current PIA does not assign responsibilities to state governments, only liabilities. When International Oil Companies (IOCs) bypass the state and engage directly with communities, many of which lack the capacity to manage such investments, it breeds conflict.
>“We are asking for a statutory role, not to take over, but to provide oversight and ensure sustainable development in our communities,” Diri added.
The governor also condemned the exclusion of Bayelsa from recent oil asset divestment deals, notably those involving Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, and Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, which sold their assets to indigenous firms.
“Bayelsa State made efforts to acquire some shares in these divested assets, given our history of over 70 years of oil operations, but we were overlooked,” he lamented.
On the theme of the event, “Driving Investment and Production Growth: Shaping a Sustainable Future for Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry Through Indigenous Capacity Development,” Diri lauded the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, for hosting NOGOF but urged more youth-focused programs.
“We must ask: what capacity are we building, and for whom? We need a clear trajectory to move forward,” he said.
Diri also expressed displeasure over Bayelsa’s exclusion from the benefits of the Nigeria LNG project, despite the state contributing about 60% of the gas feedstock used by NLNG.
Meanwhile, Hon. Boma Goodhead, Chairperson of the House of Reps Committee on Local Content Development, assured participants of the legislature’s commitment to strengthening local content laws.
“Local content goes beyond Nigerian participation, it’s about value addition within Nigeria across the industry’s value chain,” she emphasized.
