By Davies Iheamnachor, PORT HARCOURT:
Stakeholders in the Niger Delta have called for a close monitoring of accountability mechanisms in the operations of Host Community Development Trusts, HCDTs, in the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA.
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The stakeholders said sustained oversight was critical to ensuring that oil-producing communities benefitted fully from the PIA.
The call came at a one-day town hall meeting on “Maximizing the Benefits of Host Community Development Trusts in Host Communities in the Niger Delta,’’ in Port Harcourt.
Speaking on the occasion, the Country Director of Stakeholder Democracy Network, SDN, Mrs. Florence Ibok-Abasi, said the HCDT framework had made significant successes in some communities, but noted that it required greater transparency and stakeholder engagement to achieve its full potential.
Ibok-Abasi said: “The HCDT is a very unique model. We have observed significant gains in some states, and some of the projects are remarkable. However, what is extremely important is to have a monitoring process.”
He noted that civil society groups were supporting accountability and not witch-hunting stakeholders, warning that Nigeria’s energy transition made it imperative for host communities to maximise the opportunities provided by the trust funds, as future revenues from oil might decline.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Dumnamene Dekor, expressed worries over the slow pace of implementation, despite the funding of about 140 trusts across the Niger Delta.
Dekor said: “About 140 Trusts have been funded, either fully or partly, but are we having that impact in these communities? The answer is no.”
He attributed the delays to leadership disputes, internal conflicts and prolonged litigation within some host communities.
The lawmaker warned that the committee would intensify its oversight from July 2026, adding that it would compel trust administrators to explain how funds were being expended.
He insisted that the National Assembly would deploy all available legislative measures to ensure compliance with all aspects of the implementation.
However, the meeting witnessed the presentation of SDN’s study, titled “Evaluation of the Implementation Status of Host Community Development Trusts in the Niger Delta.”
SDN also launched its Independent Host Community Development Trust Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Reporting and Learning Platform, a digital tool designed to provide real-time information on HCDT implementation.
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