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| Photo shows L-R: Executive Commissioner, HSEC, NUPRC, John Tonlagha; GM, FIRST E&P Development Company Limited, John Alamu; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri; Chairman, KEFFESO Host Communities Development Trust (KHCDT), HRH, Moses Theophilus; Deputy Manager, External Relations, NUIMS-NNPC, Olubunmi Lawson; Director, Legal Services, NCDMB, Barr. Naboth Onyesoh and Secretary, KHCDT, Hon. Matthew Sele-epri during the KEFFESO Stakeholders Forum held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, at the weekend. |
NNPC Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the effective utilization of funds allocated under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to drive sustainable development in host communities across the Niger Delta.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy to foster lasting peace and economic prosperity in the region.
The pledge was made during a stakeholder engagement session held with the KEFFESO Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT), a cluster of host communities comprising Koluama 1 and 2, Ezetu 1 and 2, Foropa, Fish Town, Ekeni, Sangana, Opu Okumbiri, Okumbiribeleu, and Oginibiri in Bayelsa State, under the NNPC Limited/FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P) JV, at the weekend.
Speaking at the engagement session, which held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Seyi Omotowa, said NNPC Ltd was committed to ensuring that funds approved for the development of host communities under the PIA are channelled towards projects that address critical needs such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Engr. Omotowa who was represented by the Deputy Manager, External Relations, NUIMS, Mrs. Edith Lawson, stressed that collaboration between stakeholders was essential to achieving lasting socio-economic development.
In his remarks, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, commended the NNPC LTD/FIRST E&P JV for sustaining its strategic partnership with KEFFESO HCDT and urged community leaders to work together to ensure peace and stability in their communities.
He emphasized that without peace, companies would struggle to operate effectively, ultimately impacting the 3% Host Community Fund approved in the PIA for development initiatives.
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| Cross section of participants at the KEFFESO Host Communities Development Trust (KHCDT) Stakeholders Forum held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, at the weekend. |
Also speaking at the event, the Executive Commissioner, Safety, Environment, and Community, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Captain John Tonlagha, who represented the Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, commended the institutionalization of the community development trust initiative, describing it as a defining moment in Nigeria’s petroleum sector with the introduction of the much-needed governance, transparency, and accountability in community development efforts.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, who was represented by the Board’s Director of Legal Services, Barr. Naboth Onyesoh, commended the KEFFESO HCDT for its commitment to driving sustainable development through the PIA framework and the NUPRC for successfully incorporating over 100 Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) to support socio-economic growth in the region.
On his part, the Managing Director of FIRST E&P, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, who was represented by Mr. John Alamu, commended the KEFFESO HCDT for creating a platform that encourages dialogue, collaboration, and accountability, describing it as a model for other host community development trusts to emulate.
The chairman of the KEFFESO HCDT, His Royal Highness, Moses Theophilus, lauded the NNPC Limited/FIRST E&P JV for its proactive steps in ensuring that the KEFFESO communities benefit significantly from the PIA framework.
According to a press release signed by Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, the forum concluded with a collective call for sustained collaboration, emphasizing that the success of the PIA depends on strong partnerships, peace, and a shared commitment to community development.
The PIA mandates that 3% of NNPC’s operational expenditures be allocated to community development, focusing on projects that reflect community priorities and support skills acquisition and sustainable livelihoods.
To achieve this, NNPC has established Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) and inaugurated boards of trustees to manage these funds efficiently.
This framework aims to enhance community engagement and ensure that developmental projects are executed effectively, addressing the unique needs of each community.
By empowering local communities to take charge of their development, NNPC seeks to create a model of unity and progress in the Niger Delta.
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