A Civil society group ‘Spaces For Change’ in collaboration with the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities has organised a technical session to evaluate the progress in remitting the 3% OPEC funds to the host communities who have suffered environmental pollution and degradation for decades.
Chairman of the House Committee, Dunamene Dekor, during the two- day workshop organised by civil society group says the lawmakers have been able to prevent some oil companies from divesting without proper remediation of the environment.
Some representatives from host communities expressed concerns over the non payments of the three per cent while others admitted that the three per cent paid to them have been judiosly used for the benefit of the communities.
The workshop is seen as an attempt to balance and protect the interests of Host Communitiess as contained in the Petroleum Industry Act , PIA , which mandates the oil firms to contribute to the Host Communities an amount equal to 3% of their actual annual operating expenditure of the preceding financial year.
The money is supposed to be paid into a Host Communities Trust Fund, established to address the environmental and social impact of oil exploration and production.
Editor Oloyede Oworu
