By Tony Okafor, Awka
A town hall meeting held in Anambra State, brought together stakeholders to discuss the implementation of host communities provisions in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The event held at Vertex View Hotel & Suite, Awka , attended by representatives from the government, civil society, and oil-producing communities, emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the extractive industry.
Monday Osasah, Executive Director of Centre LSD, hailed the meeting as a significant step towards ensuring that petroleum resources benefit the host communities. “We won’t have it better than this,” he said. “Petroleum should be a blessing to us, not a curse.”
Osasah praised the Anambra State Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Anthony Ifeanya, for his vision and commitment to ensuring that the state’s oil resources are managed sustainably.
Speaking, the commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Ifeanya, hailed Centre LSD for coming to help to education the state on issues on the oil sector.
He described his ministry as “A new ministry moving fast. He said Centre LSD coming would help to prevent those ugly things that happened in Niger Delta from happening in Anambra
The meeting also featured goodwill messages from NUPRC and NEITI, emphasizing the importance of transparency, accountability, and justice in the extractive industry.
NEITI’s representative highlighted the agency’s role in promoting transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s extractive industries, ensuring that revenues are properly accounted for and utilized.
The town hall meeting demonstrated a collective commitment to ensuring that Anambra State’s oil resources benefit all stakeholders, with a focus on , accountability, and sustainable development.
President, International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), Prince Chris Azor said the engagement was targeted at discussing the effective implementation of Host Communities’ Provisions in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) with the desire for peace, security and sustainable development.
He listed expected outcomes of the meeting to include: improved understanding of PIA and Host Communities’ Provisions, enhanced stakeholder engagement as well as collaboration, identification of priority areas, clarifications and action plan.
He said, “The Town Hall Meeting on Implementing Host Communities Provisions in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was conceptualized to facilitate a collaborative interface town hall among settlors (Investors), host communities, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in Partnership with the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Anambra State.
Azor added, “The PIA aims to promote sustainable development and address concerns of host communities in the petroleum industry.
“Anambra State as the newest admission into oil producing State in Nigeria, presents issues around capacity to engage the PIA.
“The meeting provides a platform for stakeholders to engage, share experiences, seek clarity and identify solutions for successful implementation.
“It was also opportunity to enhance understanding of Host Communities’ Provisions in the PIA to ensure seamless implementation, foster collaboration and trust among stakeholders towards effective implementation.
“Stakeholders were expected to identify priority areas for engagement, develop a joint action plan and timeline, strengthen relationships and build trust for sustainable development.
“They are also expected to strengthen relationships and trust among stakeholders (settlors, host communities, State Government, Civil Society etc), increased awareness of environmental and social responsibilities.”
