Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has called for an amendment to the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, to address the flaws in the legislation which excluded the states and local governments, describing it as a time bomb.
Governor Diri, who spoke at the inauguration of the Body of Neutrals of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre, ADRC, this Tuesday in Yenagoa, also demands for a review of the 3% allotted to host communities in the PIA, which he says was grossly inadequate.
The Body of Neutrals of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre, is a 43-member team selected from retired judges, security agencies, lawyers, and professionals with experience in the oil and gas sector, saddled with the role of resolving conflicts in oil producing communities.
The ceremony at the Royal Tulip in Yenagoa was graced by Governor Diri and other key actors in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC. Diri says there were legislative issues that still needed to be addressed in the PIA
NUPRC Chief Executive Officer, Gbenga Komolafe disclosed that unending conflicts were reason oil producing communities have been unable to access over N200 billion in the Host Community Development Trust Fund since the enactment of the PIA.
The Body of Neutrals of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre operates under the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and the inauguration of the Bayelsa Regional Office was received with delight by stakeholders.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
