Leaders of the Host Community Development Trust Fund in oil bearing communities, have been advised to be selfless and perform their duties of managing the funds from the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, responsibly, putting the interest of the Community development first.
This was the crux of the discussion in a training in Port Harcourt, on making the Host Community Development Trust, HCDT, implementation effective and efficient.
Emphasising on the need to conduct thorough needs assessment in the communities before embarking on any developmental project, the Director of a nongovernmental Organization, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Dr. Emem Okon, hinged on the importance of having accountable leaders in handling the Trust.
Ensuring that the collective interest of the Community is considered when setting up Projects in the Community.
A Natural Resource Governance Independent Consultant, Dr. Micheal Uzoigwe, while calling on Host communities to own the projects from the Trust fund, pointed that the Government has magnanimously contributed its quarter for the development of Oil bearing communities, by making the three percent opex, tax free.
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Brass/ Nembe Host Communities Trust, Mr. Daniel Opuene and Mr. Philip Godfrey of Otuasegha in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, called for more incentives to oil Communities in the Niger Delta Region.
They said their Communities should mirror the pronouncement of Community Development, as stipulated in the PIA.
The forum was attended by members of oil communities accross Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Imo States.
