NBC to Collaborate ODSG on Host Communities Gazetting

By Olufisoye Adenitan

Ondo State Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, says, for “Host Communities” to be recognized by the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA and for them to be gazetted by National Boundary Commission, NBC, the government needs to intensify efforts to identify areas that fall within the category.

“This is to enable those communities to benefit from the 3% set aside for them by PIA Act”.

The Deputy Governor made this submission in Akure while receiving the delegation of NBC who paid an advocacy visit on the determination of “Host Communities Along the Gulf of Guinea”.

The NBC team was in the State to press home the need to work closely with Ondo State Boundary Commission to identify the communities recognized by the Acts as “Host Communities”.

According to him, Section 318 of the PIA, states- “a littoral community is a deep-water area of operation located along the Gulf of Guinea of the Nigerian shoreline up to about 500 meters inland, provided that such community is gazetted by the NBC”.

He said the primary objectives of gazetting the host communities are to foster sustainable prosperity, enhance harmonious co-existence between Licenses/Lesses and host communities, provide direct social and economic benefits and create a framework to support the development of identified and gazetted host Communities.

Aiyedatiwa applauded NBC for its advocacy. In his words, “your visit is a laudable idea and I want to assure you that for us in Ondo State, we will cooperate and collaborate with your Commission to ensure that all the Communities that fall within that region would benefit from the PIA, and non of these communities would be left out”.

He further stated that Ondo State Government would give all the necessary support to ensure that the exercise is successfully conducted. 

In his Address  Director General National Boundary Commission, Surveyor Adamu Adaji represented by the Director of Internal Boundaries, Mr Nicholas Emiowele, appreciated the warm reception accorded them by the State Government, as well as the support the State has given to  NBC.

“We have partnered with you on some of the activities undertaken with respect to the common Interstate boundaries with your neighbours….we intend to make further progress on the emplacement of pillars on the required sector of the boundary”, he said.

Speaking further, Mr Emiowele said, “it is important that all the Communities within the specified 500m buffers from the coastline must be located and captured in the data bank of the Communities to be gazetted, for them to benefit adequately from the provisions of the Act.

“A previous survey had identified some of these communities, but it is imperative that the Commission, in conjunction with the Ondo State Boundary Commission, do a thorough compilation that can be defended.

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