S/South Governors Demand 10% For Host Community Fund In PIB

Governors of the South-South States demanded an upward review of the provision of 2.5 percent as Host Community  Trust Fund in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to 10 percent in the best interest of oil communities and the nation.

The governors have also advised  President  Mohammadu  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.

Chairman of the South-South Governors Forum and Governor of Delta State , Senator Ifeanyi Okowa made this assertion at the end of the forum’s meeting which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday night.

“We took up the issue of the PIB, the Petroleum Industry Bill which is already  before the House and having compared notes with ourselves, we are of the view that while we welcome the Host Community Trust Fund, we do believe that the 2.5 percent 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 that the National Assembly should increase the provision in the host community fund from 2.5 percent to 10 percent in the best interest  of our communities, in the best interest of our nation.”

The governors maintained that the communities have a role to play in the surveillance of the nation’s oil facilities and pipeline network. They expressed the belief that if the communities feel satisfied with provision of funds for them in the PIB, they are more likely going to be  watchdog  on behalf of  the federal government, the States and oil companies.

Besides demanding for 10% as host community fund in the PIB, Governor Okowa 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 opportunity for all States to be represented as they ought to be represented in the board of the NDDC does not exist

“So, it means that the NDDC is actually run in such a matter that it is actually not truly beneficial to our people, because there is no stakeholders input in the running of the affairs of the NDDC. We do know that there is a forensic audit taking place and if for that reason the board has not been constituted, our advise 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 in a such a way it will be visibly accountable in the best interest of the peoples of the Niger Delta.”

Present at the meeting were Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike; the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki; Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri and the Deputy Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Mr Moses Ekpo, who represented Governor Udom Emmanuel.

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