Anambra State Government has advised oil producing communities in Ogbaru council area to embrace peace and be united in order to access benefits from oil companies.
The Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Barrister Anthony Ifeanya gave the advise during a workshop organized by his ministry for host communities on Petroleum Industry Act, PIA at the Jerome Udoji State Secretariat, AWKA.
The participating communities which include Ogwu- Ikpere and Ogwu-Aniocha had in attendance stakeholders drawn from town unions, youth organization, and the traditional institution.
Addressing the gathering, the Commissioner explained that since inception of the present administration, Professor Chukwuma Soludo’s priority has been to entrench lasting peace and harmony in communities in order to create conducive environment for businesses and development to thrive.
Commissioner Ifeanya who asked the host communities to learn from other states where oil boom, instead of becoming a blessing, became their doom, pointed out that the essence of the workshop are to educate them on their rights under the PIA 2021 to ensure rapid development in all host communities.
He insisted that both parties must fulfil their obligations under the law, and that the host communities’ trust fund is for the development of the communities and not for individual gains.
Delivering a paper titled “Relationship with host communities: Its sustainability and the environment” Barrister Richard Ezechukwuma called for cordial relationship between settlors and host communities for the benefit of government, and reminded the settlors that it is compulsory in the Petroleum and Mineral Resources that they set up Host Communities Trust Fund as it will help drive prosperity and peaceful coexistence in the petroleum industry.
For the member, Anambra State Oil and Gas Development Committee, Professor Kingsley Nwozor, the state is on the right track for speedy development among host communities as the state has learnt from the mistakes of others, and has improved on the relationship with host communities for mutual benefit.
Responding on behalf of the Community Relationship Management, Mr. Austine Brown appreciated the state for its active role in resolving any issue in the host communities; and promised to operate within the tenets of the law.
Stakeholders from the two participating communities asked questions on areas which they feel the federal and state governments should improve the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 for the benefit of the communities especially in the area of environment and inclusion, among others.
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