PIB: South-South Governors Demand10 Per Cent For Host Communities

South-South Governors, on Tuesday, demanded the upward review
from 2.5 per cent to 10 per cent, appropriated to the Trust Fund
for host oil communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Chairman of the South-South Forum and Governor of Delta, Dr
Ifeanyi Okowa, stated this at the end of the South-South Governors’
meeting in Port Harcourt.

Okowa said that the 2.5 per cent that was appropriated in the
PIB, now before the National Assembly for the host communities, was
inadequate.

“We are of the view that while we welcome the Host Community
Trust Fund, we do believe that 2.5 per cent that is appropriated in
that bill for the purpose of host community fund is inadequate.

“We have discussed with our people and collectively as leaders
of the people in our various states and as leaders standing in on
behalf of our people, we urge the National Assembly to increase the
provision in the host community fund from 2.5 per cent to 10 per
cent.

“This is in the best interest of our communities and the
nation,’’ Okowa said.

If satisfied with the provision of the trust fund, Okowa
maintained that the host communities would be watchdogs of oil
facilities on behalf of the Federal, State Governments and oil
companies.

“A peaceful environment in the various oil communities would
enable us to have greater and seamless production, without any form
of disruption going into the future.

“The Governors have also urged President Muhammadu Buhari that
in the absence of the board of the Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC), funds for the commission, beyond the payment of
salaries, should be put in an escrow account until he constitutes
the board,’’ Okowa said.

“We do know that there is a forensic audit taking place and for
that reason, the board has not been constituted.

“Our advice is that monies being sent to the NDDC should be put
in an escrow account until a board is constituted and then proper
processes are followed in the expenditure of the money for visible
accounting,’’ he said.

He described as worrisome the running of the NDDC in over a year
by an Interim Caretaker Committee, and now an Interim
Administrator.

According to him, this situation does not augur well for the
people of the Niger Delta, as the opportunity for all states to be
represented on the board of the NDDC did not exist.

“So, it means that the NDDC is being run in such a manner that
it is not beneficial to our people, because there is no stakeholder
input in the running of the affairs of the NDDC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was
attended by Gov. Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Douye
Diri (Bayelsa) and Udom Emmanuel (Akwa-Ibom), who was represented
by his deputy, Mr Moses Ekpo. (NAN)

South-South Governors, on Tuesday, demanded the upward review
from 2.5 per cent to 10 per cent, appropriated to the Trust Fund
for host oil communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Chairman of the South-South Forum and Governor of Delta, Dr
Ifeanyi Okowa, stated this at the end of the South-South Governors’
meeting in Port Harcourt.

Okowa said that the 2.5 per cent that was appropriated in the
PIB, now before the National Assembly for the host communities, was
inadequate.

“We are of the view that while we welcome the Host Community
Trust Fund, we do believe that 2.5 per cent that is appropriated in
that bill for the purpose of host community fund is inadequate.

“We have discussed with our people and collectively as leaders
of the people in our various states and as leaders standing in on
behalf of our people, we urge the National Assembly to increase the
provision in the host community fund from 2.5 per cent to 10 per
cent.

“This is in the best interest of our communities and the
nation,’’ Okowa said.

If satisfied with the provision of the trust fund, Okowa
maintained that the host communities would be watchdogs of oil
facilities on behalf of the Federal, State Governments and oil
companies.

“A peaceful environment in the various oil communities would
enable us to have greater and seamless production, without any form
of disruption going into the future.

“The Governors have also urged President Muhammadu Buhari that
in the absence of the board of the Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC), funds for the commission, beyond the payment of
salaries, should be put in an escrow account until he constitutes
the board,’’ Okowa said.

“We do know that there is a forensic audit taking place and for
that reason, the board has not been constituted.

“Our advice is that monies being sent to the NDDC should be put
in an escrow account until a board is constituted and then proper
processes are followed in the expenditure of the money for visible
accounting,’’ he said.

He described as worrisome the running of the NDDC in over a year
by an Interim Caretaker Committee, and now an Interim
Administrator.

According to him, this situation does not augur well for the
people of the Niger Delta, as the opportunity for all states to be
represented on the board of the NDDC did not exist.

“So, it means that the NDDC is being run in such a manner that
it is not beneficial to our people, because there is no stakeholder
input in the running of the affairs of the NDDC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was
attended by Gov. Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Douye
Diri (Bayelsa) and Udom Emmanuel (Akwa-Ibom), who was represented
by his deputy, Mr Moses Ekpo. (NAN)