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Stakeholders seek 50% derivation, increased investments in renewables

Environmental degradation

. Encourage Niger Delta states to accept PIA 2021

Stakeholders, under the aegis of the International Association of Research Scholars and Administrators, have called for the adoption of 50% derivation to Niger Delta states, similar to previous provisions in the 1960 and the 1963 Constitutions when agriculture was the main revenue earner for Nigeria.

According to them, the current constitutional stipulation of 13% “is an act of gross injustice to the region.”

In their opinion, this adoption will stem what they described as the “long over-stretched injustice to the region over oil and gas exploration, exploitation or expropriation of petroleum resources.”

These were parts of the observations and recommendations reached at the end of the 6th Annual International Conference of the Association, hosted by the Emerald Energy Institute, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Themed, “Promoting Sustainability in Petroleum Development and Economic Growth in the Niger Delta Region,” the conference provided opportunities to share experiences, perspectives, insights, and the latest innovative research in petroleum development, economic growth, security, social and welfare development and environmental sustainability to improve decision-making in Nigeria.

At the end, participants decried that “Only few positive impacts of petroleum exploration and exploitations in Niger Delta have been felt since inception.”

Impact has been mainly in the areas of host community development, but with “little boost on economic development of the region, employment and capacity development and Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.”

On the other hand, “the negative impacts of petroleum exploration and exploitations in Niger Delta are enormous, for example, environmental degradation, despoliation and destitution, economic dislocation/impoverishment, inter and intra communal conflicts, marginalization and youth restiveness.”

 “Lack of infrastructure and other physical evidence of economic development in the Niger Delta region have been as a result of mismanagement of funds and embezzlement,” they added.

The negative impacts of petroleum exploration and exploitations in Niger Delta are enormous, for example, environmental degradation, despoliation and destitution, economic dislocation/impoverishment, inter and intra communal conflicts, marginalization and youth restiveness.

Infrastructure development

In a communiqué made available to Sustainable Economy, participants called for massive investments in the rural areas to reduce rural-urban drift from the Niger Delta where the bulk of oil and gas exploration and development take place.

In particular, they urged the Federal Government to invest in renewable energy to check Niger Delta youth restiveness, oil theft, environmental degradation, while promoting sustainable environmental and economic development of Niger-Delta region, and Nigeria.

In line with the above, the government should invest in renewable energy technologies, which have less impact on the environment as alternatives to fossil fuel technologies, to provide job opportunities thereby reducing poverty in the region in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets by 2030.

Furthermore, governments, at the Federal and state levels should also “look into alternative means of generating power for industrial and domestic uses across the nation, most importantly in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

They added that “A wind energy system for electric power generation and supply should be put in place in the country, particularly at the core Northern states, the mountainous parts of the Central and Eastern states, and also the offshore areas, where wind is abundantly available throughout the year.”

Social benefits

In addition to massive infrastructure development of the Niger Delta region, participants also called for social benefits, including community participation in resource exploitation by awarding them licence to operate shallow marginal fields as it is done in places like Myanmar (Burma).

The communiqué also encouraged the host communities to accept the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, even as it observed that the 3% Community Fund is inadequate.

Under the circumstances, the communities are urged to among others:

  • Take full advantage of its host community provisions to advance host community issues and challenges
  • Avoid communal crisis, bickering, sabotage and all such actions that are inimical to host communities under the PIA
  • Organize themselves both within and inter-communities into community interest groups with the input and approval of their community representatives, including traditional rulers and local councillors.
  • Improve capacity of youths to take full advantage of the various nascent provisions concerning Nigerian content development.

The two-day conference brought together notable international researchers in the petroleum and gas industry, renowned professors, erudite solicitors in the legal professions, entrepreneurs, professionals and policymakers.

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