The National President of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, Dr. Benjamin Tamaranebi has warned traditional rulers against bidding for contracts for execution of projects approved for their communities in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act.

Tamaranebi spoke during a town hall meeting organised by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in conjunction with HOSTCOM Project Management and Advisory Konsult Ltd for Host Communities Development Board of Trustees (HCDTS) and settlors Imo/Abia states, in Owerri, Imo State on Thursday.

He stated that monarchs as heads of Host Communities Board of Trustees have the responsibility of supervising the awarding and execution of projects approved for the communities and ensuring accountability, adding that awarding contracts to themselves will lead to compromise.

Tamaranebi said the coming of Petroleum Industry Act which approved three percent of the annual operating expenses of oil companies for host communities, brought some relief to many oil producing communities.

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In a keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said it’s a new dawn for oil communities.

Eyesan, represented by Atama Daniel urged communities yet to receive 2024 funding to lodge a formal complaint at the commission.

In his remarks, the Deputy Executive Director, Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), Johnson Abiye said regulators should ensure smooth implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act as it relates to the oil producing communities.

Abiye noted that many communities that were supposed to be part of HOSTCOM were omitted and called for the situation to be redressed.