
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Kula Host Community Development Trust of the NNPC/Belemaoil OML55 Joint Venture has inaugurated its management and advisory committees, marking a major step in implementing the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA2021, and placing the community at the center of its own development.
The committees, inaugurated in Port Harcourt on Friday, will oversee project execution, security, and economic initiatives, ensuring that host communities directly benefit from oil and gas operations in their region.
The move aligns with Sections 247 and 249 of the PIA, which mandates host communities to actively participate in managing resources allocated for their development.
Speaking, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief David Emineye-Orlu, described the event as a “historic occasion that will usher in a new era of development in the host community.” He urged committee members to be diligent and live above board in the discharge of their duties.
The Management Committee, chaired by Fenibo Dimabo Oko, will oversee budgeting and project execution, while the Advisory Committee, led by Aaron Tamunoemi, will identify community needs and monitor progress.
In their acceptance speeches, both chairmen pledged to uphold transparency and accountability. “We promise to discharge our new roles effectively and transparently to the satisfaction of all stakeholders,” Oko stated.
Similarly, Tamunoemi assured that the committees would “work harmoniously and collectively with the Board of Trustees to achieve set goals in the interest of the peace and progress of the host community.”
Speaking on behalf of Belemaoil, Government Relations Lead, Mr Darego Fubara, emphasized that “with the successful inauguration of the Management and Advisory Committees of the Trust, the development of the host community is now fully in their hands.”
Fubara added that Belemaoil looks forward to “stronger collaboration with the host community to ensure seamless operations of the company in the area and drive sustainable development.”
The inauguration was witnessed by traditional leaders, community stakeholders, and representatives of Belemaoil Producing Limited, reinforcing a commitment to peace, progress, and economic empowerment in the region.