John Ovie
Technical Adviser 1 to the governor of Bayelsa state on Environment, Comrade Morris Alagoa and a legal practitioner, Mr. Paraboma Igbomgbo have called for improved engagement and review of some parts of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
In a live radio programme in Yenagoa, Alagoa disclosed that a recent tour of host communities in the Niger Delta revealed concerns over environmental protection, oil spills and implementation of the Act.
He said the tour exercise has helped to sensitize residents on the 3 percent Host Communities Fund and the need to safeguard oil facilities, just as he highlighted PIA funded projects in the area.
On his part, Igbomgbo condemned the section of the PIA that punishes host communities for pipeline vandalism, describing it as unfair and an infringement on their rights, maintaining that oil companies and the federal government should take responsibility for securing pipeline vandalism.
Callers on the programme also expressed misgivings, blaming the multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region of allegedly working with obsolete facilities which often get damaged as a result of overuse and cause oil spills, degrading the environment with far reaching negative consequences on the ecosystem.
They also called on communities to be vigilant and protect oil facilities sited in their areas, calling for increased benefit and equitable distribution of pipeline surveillance contracts and employment chances to host communities.
