Dr Edmund Daukoru, Amanyanabo of Nembe Kingdom, Bayelsa has applauded President Bola Tinubu for prioritising the welfare and participation of oil communities in the oil and gas sector.
Daukoru, a former Minister of State for Petroleum made the commendation at the inauguration of the Nembe Okiori Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) in Yenagoa on Wednesday.
The royal father noted that the policies being pursued by the Tinubu-led administration has empowered indigenous players to participate in the sector hitherto dominated by International Oil Companies.
He listed the acquisition of onshore and shallow waters assets hitherto operated by foreign firms by indigenous companies as a result of Tinubu’s leadership.
“I wish to thank Mr President for providing the enabling environment for oil communities to benefit from the operations of oil companies.
“The President from his body language, policy implementations has prioritised the welfare of the people who bear the brunt of oil exploration and production and encouraging indigenous companies to participate in the oil and gas sector,” he said.
Daukoru urged members of the Nembe Okiori HCDT to see their nomination as a call to service and ensure that funds accruing to the trust were judiciously deployed for development of Nembe communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 18 member-Nembe Okiori HCDT was inaugurated under the supervision of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) amidst community stakeholders in Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital.
Nembe Okiori HCDT was incorporated and funded by Anatolia Energy and Services Limited, operators of the Okiori Oilfields with Petroleum Prospecting Licence 204 in compliance to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
Mr Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of NUPRC, who was represented by Head of Bayelsa Field Office of the Commission, Mr Sylvester Bighoro noted that some 103 HCDTs have been inaugurated so far.
He said that the HCDTs were platforms provided under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA, 2021) to utilise the three per cent operational expenses by operating oil companies for development of their host communities.
Speaking earlier, Dr Adeleke Adedipe, the Chief Operating Officer of the oil firm explained that leading to the incorporation of the Nembe Okiori HCDT, the company conducted development needs assessment of its eight communities which metamorphosed into the Community Development Plan set for implementation.
Engr Toyin Olagunju, Chairman of Anatolia Energy urged the HCDT members to emulate King Daukoru’s noble dispositions to work for the development of Nembe communities.
He noted that Daukoru, an encyclopedia of Niger Delta geology is an asset to the nation and is volunteering his knowledge to develop the Nembe kingdom as a king.
Olagunju commended NUPRC for establishing the governance structure to drive the smooth running of the HCDT.
He urged the newly inaugurated Nembe Okiori HCDT to justify the trust reposed on them by the communities they represent and pledged to meet the development obligations to the Nembe communities. (NAN)
