By Gabriel Ameh, The Sight News
Civil Society Organization, Connected Development (CODE), has intensified its efforts in amplifying marginalized voices in Nigeria through collaborative partnerships.
CODE, in this dynamic show of collaboration and advocacy, on Wednesday March 27, 2024 hosted a press conference in Abuja on its Power of Voices Project (PVP), dedicated to enhancing capacity building and fostering awareness around the critical socio-economic challenges within Nigeria’s extractive sectors.
The event which underscored CODE’s commitment to driving positive change through the amplification of marginalized voices and the cultivation of impactful partnerships, provided a platform for stakeholders to explore the potent intersection of media influence and collective action with a focus on amplifying voices and fostering strategic alliances.
Speaking at the conference, CODE’s Chief Executive, Hamzat Lawal, stated that CODE in partnership with OXFAM has been engaging with government, community members, civil society organizations and the media on looking at how the government is implementing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
He noted that CODE advocated for the passage of this Act and ensured that the President assented, adding also that CODE met with the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission which gave them a robust presentation on how they were engaging with host community members and setting up the value chain of the host community trust fund.
Narrating his personal experience with some of the host communities in the Niger delta region, Lawal explained that some of the host communities had their Community Trust set up but have a problem of set lost, where the development trust of the community is supposed to provide infrastructural resources to empower the community and also provide social amenities, but with the petroleum Industry Act ( PIA), sadly the powers to utilize these money is in the hands of the oil companies.
He noted that in some cases, however, after the community undertakes these projects, the oil companies will sit on the funds and not release the money, adding that they would want to undertake their own audit.
“This issue is currently causing lots of grief amongst the community members and it’s pushing them to the wall”, he said. “Why would these companies who are currently exploring our natural resources in the Niger delta region not want to remove the bottle neck so that these communities can enjoy the dividend that the petroleum Information Act (PIA) has empowered them to enjoy?”
For her part, Ruth Okafor, CODE’s Community Engagement Associate stated that the organization has advocated for the domestication and mainstreaming of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) at the Sub-national levels in the focal states of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo and Cross River.
She further highlighted projects CODE is tracking in some host communities to include; In Akwa Ibom, Okoroibilom, Eastern Obolo LGA, a government primary school Project remains unfinished three years after being awarded to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and currently, classes are conducted in a makeshift structure made of sticks and palm fronds due to the projects’ abandonment.
“The remote location of the community, which requires a 45-minute boat ride from the local government area headquarters, exacerbates the situation. Despite hosting oil mining activities, poor pupil enrollment persists.
“However, concerns have been raised about the project’s neglect with no response from the contractor or ministry of education, hindering educational development in the community. There is an urgent need to address this pressing issue”, she noted.
On trustee setup, Okafor revealed that Odagwa community Etche LGA, the Host Community Development Trust has been set up, the Board of Trustees and the management committee have been inaugurated, the first account has been set up and three are still in view and the settlers are HEIR Energy Limited.
Meanwhile, CODE in a bid to communicate and reach out early to the youths in Nigeria to imbibe the ideal of integrity, accountability and transparency in community engagement, launched a Civic Manual Handbook to be introduced to Schools in the Niger delta region and the FCT.
The book was launched at the press power of voices conference by CODE’s Chief Executive, Hazmat Lawal.
