Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has called on the Federal Government to urgently review the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), warning that unresolved conflicts arising from the Host Communities Development Trust Fund threaten peace and stability in the Niger Delta.
Governor Diri, who spoke in Yenagoa, said the PIA, though a landmark legislation in Nigeria’s oil and gas reforms, has created new tensions between host communities and oil companies, rather than fostering cooperation and development.
He noted that the trust fund, designed to address decades of neglect in oil-bearing areas, has instead become a source of division, with communities complaining of exclusion, lack of control, and inequitable implementation.
“The intention of the PIA was commendable, but its implementation has exposed serious gaps. Instead of bringing host communities and stakeholders together, it has created avoidable conflicts that could undermine peace in the Niger Delta,” Diri stated.
The governor urged President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to immediately revisit the contentious provisions of the law, insisting that sustainable peace in the Niger Delta is crucial to Nigeria’s economic survival.
Diri further pressed for a participatory framework that gives oil-producing communities stronger control over development initiatives, stressing that anything short of inclusiveness will render the law ineffective.
He also challenged multinational oil companies to embrace dialogue and partnership with local communities, noting that environmental degradation, loss of livelihoods, and years of neglect must be addressed as part of corporate responsibility.
Observers say the renewed call may reignite debates over the three percent host community fund allocation in the PIA, which has long been a flashpoint for agitation in the Niger Delta.
