Some stakeholders in the Niger Delta Region have expressed concern about the unfriendly nature of some provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, particularly those concerning environmental protection and the 3% trust fund for host communities.
The Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives made history last year when they passed the Petroleum Industry Bill almost two decades since its first introduction to the house.
While many have hailed the new Act signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari as a landmark achievement for Nigeria, some stakeholders in the Niger Delta have been critical of some of its provisions especially the 3 percent host community fund that was slashed from an initial 10 percent by the National Assembly.
To explore the various implications of the Petroleum Industry Act, stakeholders at the 2022 Nigeria Resource Justice Conference held in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, evaluated the provisions of the Act as it affects communities in crude oil extraction sites across the Niger Delta region.
It is believed that the PIA while solving old problems, has created new ones with dire consequences for host communities in the region.
The people of the Niger Delta have also been urged to unite in getting the best out of the Act while pushing for its amendment in the nearest future.
