The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, in collaboration with the Ford Foundation, organized a capacity‑building programme on Tuesday to support the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). The week‑long training, held in Warri, Delta State, brought together representatives from host communities in five oil‑producing states—Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, and Ondo. Its primary aim was to restructure community management and to regulate midstream and downstream operations.
Addressing the delegation, the Executive Director of PIND, Mr. Tunji Idowu, was represented by Advocacy Manager Chuks Ofulue. He expressed satisfaction with the progress made since the PIA was signed into law on 16 August 2021, highlighting its role in promoting good governance, best practices, and a more favorable business environment in the oil and gas sector. Idowu noted that Chapter 3 of the PIA mandates the creation of a Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) to improve the quality of life for host‑community residents and to enhance accountability in managing the HCDT fund.
He explained that the programme’s activities focused on raising awareness and deepening stakeholders’ understanding of the PIA’s technical components. Idowu called for greater accountability from the various Host Communities Development Trusts and emphasized that a key expected outcome of the PIA is sustainable community development, achieved through participatory needs assessments and community development plans that foster long‑term growth.
Comments are closed for this story.