The Edo State Ministry of Oil and Gas Resources has urged the state chapter of the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) to strengthen collaboration with relevant stakeholders to accelerate development across oil and gas-producing communities.
The Commissioner for Oil and Gas Resources, Prof. Ikponmwosa Ignatius Omorodion, gave the charge when he received a delegation of HOSTCOM, led by its Chairman, Mr. Keneth Aduwaye, in Benin City.
Omorodion described HOSTCOM as a key stakeholder in the development of Edo communities, stressing the importance of a strong working relationship between the association and the ministry.
He said the ministry’s mandate was to ensure that the people derive maximum benefits from the state’s oil and gas resources while protecting their interests.
“For us as a Ministry, our mandate is clear; to ensure that the people benefit maximally and protect the interest of our people,” he said.
The Commissioner also expressed concern over disunity within HOSTCOM, describing the development as unhealthy and urging members to work together in the interest of their communities and the state.
He appealed to the association not to interpret the ministry’s interventions in disputes as taking sides, while requesting that HOSTCOM provide the ministry with relevant data, its organisational structure and details of its executives to facilitate effective engagement.
Earlier, the HOSTCOM Chairman, Aduwaye, congratulated Omorodion on his appointment and commended his leadership.
He assured the Commissioner of the association’s readiness to partner with the ministry to advance the development of Edo State.
Aduwaye said Edo ranks sixth among Nigeria’s oil-producing states by production quantum, identifying Orhionmwon, Ikpoba-Okha and Ovia North-East as the state’s core oil-producing local government areas.
He explained that under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), communities located within a five-kilometre radius of oil facilities are regarded as host communities.
According to him, all 18 local government areas in Edo are represented within HOSTCOM, adding that host communities also have a responsibility to protect pipelines and other critical government assets.
The National Organising Secretary of HOSTCOM, Dr. Osasu Asabor, identified inadequate oil exploration, compared with other oil-producing states, as one of the challenges confronting Edo’s oil and gas sector.
He also cited the processing of much of the state’s gas outside Edo, capacity challenges at the OML 111 Ologbo Gas Plant and the need to attract more investors into the state’s gas sector.
Asabor expressed the association’s willingness to support the ministry in developing the sector.
“We want to have a complementary relationship with the Ministry to assist the Ministry to perform better and earn more for Edo because we have people that have the capacity,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. (Mrs.) Joy Akhigbe, commended HOSTCOM for raising issues affecting the sector as well as matters capable of advancing the state’s overall development.
Akhigbe stressed the importance of sincerity and unity in achieving the government’s objectives, noting that Edo had the potential to attain greater development.
She urged HOSTCOM to furnish the ministry with relevant data that could support effective planning and development interventions.
Addressing the issue of factions within the association, the Permanent Secretary called for unity among members.
“We must have a solid foundation. Let everybody work together. It may be difficult to achieve, but we can achieve it,” she said.
She also encouraged HOSTCOM to communicate freely with the ministry on areas requiring government intervention and support, assuring that such engagement would help strengthen efforts to move Edo State’s oil and gas sector forward.
