Confederation of Oil & Gas Communities of Nigeria has countered the recent report by Akwa Ibom Host Communities and a civil society organization on the Demand to make public the available data on the 3% Operating Expenditure (OPEX) Revenue payment by the oil Companies from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The National Executive Chairman of the Confederation of Oil & Gas Communities of Nigeria, Prince Mike Emuh said this at a press conference in Abuja.
He said it is Absurd to ask NUPRC who is a regulator to account for the 3% OPEX revenue paid on their behalf without first asking the oil Company whose obligation is to deliver development to the communities through the Host Community Development Trusts ( HCDTS)
He has Advised the Host Communities to avoid being used for cheap blackmail and gross misconduct .
The chairman said NUPRC has given the host Communities lots of mechanisms to ensure implementation of the 2021 Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to enhance the host Communities development for fairness, accountability and transparency.
The chairman is also appealing to the Presidency, and the Ministry of Petroleum to look into the Gas flare Penalty Funds that have not been paid to the Host Communities.
