PIB: Another crisis brews as host families present fresh demands

Members of the Ekpeye Oil and Gas Pipelines Host Families Association of Rivers State have presented before the National Assembly, separate demands, different from the 10 per cent operational cost being advocated by the Niger Delta host communities.

The host communities are demanding a 10 per cent operational cost from oil firms, a development that has remained a major contentious issue since the proposed law was introduced to the 6th National Assembly in September 2008.

The host communities started their demand when they asked for a 10 per cent net profit in the PIB in 2012.

They reduced it to five per cent of actual expenditure in 2018.

The provision of 2.5 per cent was recommended for them in the PIB 2020 but the President of HOSTCOMS, Benjamin Tamaranebi, said the reduction of host community development trust fund from 10 per cent in 2008 to 2.5 per cent in the 2020 PIB, would deny the people of funds required to develop their areas.

However, the Ekpeye Oil and Gas Pipelines Host Families Association of Rivers State, said they and other host families in the Niger Delta region deserved the necessary recognition in the proposed law.

The National Chairman, EOG, Mr Dogini Chidi, told our correspondent in Abuja on Friday that the group was focused on development.

Chidi said the EOG, being a leading grass roots based non-governmental organisation in Ekpeye land in Rivers State, deserved adequate recognition because they were the original owners of the land where crude is being extracted.

He said the group, if accorded the necessary recognition and support, would come up with a core objective on how to encourage the use of local contents and local indigenous  technology where necessary.

He said, “The EOG also seeks to achieve a peaceful and conducive environment through skill and Small and Medium Enterprises development and to enlighten and educate their people through workshops, seminars and conferences. Punch