By Kassim Omomia
A strategic roundtable on post-Public Hearing engagement on the Petroleum Industry Bill, for media practitioners organised in Abuja by Facility for oil sector transformation, FOSTER, is canvassing a 10 % for host community development as against the 2.5 proposed in the PIB currently under consideration in the national assembly.

The PIB is expected to be passed at the end of the first quarter of this year.

As a prelude to the passage, already members of the critical committee of the national assembly are visiting oil assets in their various locations nationwide as an oversight task to guide parliament in passing the proposed piece of legislation.

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Recall that a two -day public hearing to get stakeholders inputs was held by the ad-hoc committee of the National assembly.
In the House special Committee headed by Honourable Tahir Monguno, 44 memoranda were received by the committee, out of which 33 memos dealt with issues bothering on host community’s welfare.

Six areas of interest, which included, investments climate, acreages: oil blocks allocation and transparency, Discretionary powers of the Minister, environmental remediation, and of course the host Community Trust fund, dominated the submissions by the various critical stakeholders.
However, at the meeting which aims at reforming the oil and gas sector in Nigeria, the participants are of the view that the host communities should harmonise their positions and push for a 10% rather than 2.5.
The position stems from the myriads of challenges currently faced by the impact and oil-bearing communities in the Niger Delta.

While it is believed that 2.5% is a sheer ‘drop in the ocean’, 10% of $5bn dollars which is the annual estimated operating expenditure, from where the arithmetic of the percentage host community trust fund, was calculated, could make more meaning in terms of developing and meeting current development needs of the oil-bearing areas.
“Let the people own their development”, facilitator of the topic, PIB 2020: Key Issues Arising from Public hearing, Mr Oke Epia said.

He noted during the presentation that though the PIB, is not a silver bullet, that may cure all the ills in the petroleum, upstream, down stream as well as Mid-stream and host community , but it was important it is passed without hiccups or conflicts from any of the stakeholders, especially the Host Community.

‘Let it be passed first and then amendments can come later’ he admonished.

Earlier, head of FOSTER Secretariat, Dr. Michael Uzoigwe, had told participants in his welcome remarks, that it was germane that the media engaged the lawmakers at this time of the Post Public hearing stage, to fast track the passage of the Bill.

He noted that notwithstanding the discovery of new sources of energy, Nigeria needs to reform what was left of the oil sector until it meets with the other nations who have detached from fossil fuels to other renewable energy source.
However, in his presentation on the “Overview of the Petroleum Industry Bill 2020”, Joe Nwakwue, said it was proper the operating companies be allowed to operate and manage the Host Community trust Fund as well as appoint members of the Commission after the nomination of the host communities, instead of government or government related agencies.
He explained that past government interventions, like the NDDC, others, have failed the people of the Niger Delta.
“Government agencies have not done well, NDDC, States commissions, etc. Companies should do it: They have shown commitment more than government” he added, pointing that government does not visit the people, it is the companies that do, and they know where it pinches”