CODAF URGES HOST COMMUNITIES TO PAY DELIBERATE ATTENTION TO THE CONTENT OF THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY ACT (PIA)

WHAT HOST COMMUNITIES NEED TO KNOW. PIA

Community Development Advocacy Foundation has called on host communities to stay informed about the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act and actively engage with relevant authorities to ensure that their interests are adequately represented and protected. 

This was stated at a one-day Sensitization Program on the Host Community Aspect of the PIA which held on the 29th of December 2023, in Agbarha-Otor community of Delta State, organized by CODAF in collaboration with BudgIT.

Presenting a paper on Community Awareness on PIA, Executive Director of African Center for Rural and Environmental Development, Fred Nohwo guided the participants to understand the content of the PIA as it relates to Host communities, x-rating some aspects of the PIA including the Host Community Development Trust, Host Community Fund, Community participation, Environmental protection, Petroleum Host Community Fund, Community Development plan. 

He rounded off the session by encouraging community leaders to stay informed about these provisions and actively engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that their interests are adequately represented and protected.

The event also featured pretest to ascertain the level of knowledge of the PIA within the community participants and thus, the result revealed that even though the PIA is in existence, participants do not have an in -depth knowledge of the PIA as it concerns the host communities and the need to fully embrace the PIA.

The pretest was followed by a mono drama moderated by the Executive Director of Neferok Foundation, Ayo Okotie. The drama was centered on the host community involvement in the implementation of the PIA, the objective of the drama is to arouse the interest of participants on PIA.

The representative of the palace, Egnr. Samuel Okagbare expressed his delight over the sensitization efforts of CODAF and BudgIT. He lauded CODAF for the great job and appealed for more enlightening programs in the Agbarha kingdom.

On his path, the Executive Director of CODAF, Richard Benin urged the community to make themselves familiar with the latest version of the PIA, and to seek legal advice for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

One of the highlights of the event was a comment from a female participant who said” EVERY CHILD IN THE HOST COMMUNITY SHOULD KNOW THE PIA.” Thus, documents and pamphlets containing the Host Community Aspects of the PIA should be made available in community primary and secondary schools.

As a continuation on the Sensitization of the Host Community Aspect of the PIA, CODAF also organized a 3 days media dialogue on the 5th, 8th and 10th of January 2024 on Quest fm to further discuss on “What Host communities should know about the PIA”.