Follow Us on Google
By Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State House of Assembly has called for the strengthening and implementation of the regulatory framework of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Dumle Maol made the call at the public presentation of the Legal Policy Analysis Report organised by the Human Rights and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), with support from the Africa Centre for Energy Policy, held in Port Harcourt at the weekend.
Maol, who chaired the event titled ‘Legal Policy Gap Analysis of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and Mobilisation of Citizens’ Public Interest Advocacy,’ noted that there has been much discussion about the PIA with little tangible outcome, stressing that the time is ripe for implementation.
He said: “I think talking is about advocacy; but where we are now, we’re talking about practical reasons we must move forward. It means there must be a departure from talking to implementation. And I am sure that is why we have legal policy gap analysis of the PIA Act.
“I think the PIA is the mother law concerning the petroleum industry in Nigeria, and I take seriously that the most important component of the PIA is community engagement and benefits.”
According to the deputy speaker, the most significant change in the PIA concerns the quota percentage allocated to host communities.
He observed: “In the oil and gas industry, we have talked about several laws, in addition to the Petroleum Act, such as the NOSDRA Act, the EIA Act, the Upstream Environmental Remediation and Fund Regulation 2024, the Ministry of Environment, and the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.
“These are regulators; but the question is, are they regulated properly? What are the benefits since this Act came into being? What has changed?
“What can be identified as a clear achievement by the regulators, which departs from the norm, that aligns with the expectations of the framers and legislators who passed this law?”
Maol continued: “I have taken time to make a few recommendations that we should take away from this meeting. First, we must strengthen regulatory frameworks and enforcement.
Other News
“I have consistently discussed enforcement and implementation; not mere theory, but practical steps.
“I also recommend increased transparency and accountability in the petroleum sector. These are critical, as is the promotion of local content and community engagement.”
He warned that without host community engagement and participation in oil exploration, agitation for justice would persist.
“We should promote local content and community engagement. Enhanced environmental protection and remediation are also vital.
“Those who own the land should be the first protectors. To what extent are the oil and gas industries, including the IOCs, complying with our laws? If we discuss protection, we refer back to these regulations, as all actions taken by regulators fall within the law.”
Earlier, Executive Secretary of HEDA Resource Centre, Mr Sulaimon Arigbabu, called for greater accountability and transparency in the implementation of the PIA.
He observed that, four years after the passage of the PIA, its impact has yet to be fully realised, regretting that significant implementation gaps remain despite a strong legal structure.
Arigbabu stated that, although the government has introduced laws to address problems in the oil and gas industry, implementation and enforcement remain concerning.
He pointed out that the success of industry regulations has often been impeded by weak enforcement, inadequate funding, and community conflicts. He underscored the need to strengthen regulatory frameworks, boost transparency, promote community engagement, and enhance environmental protection and remediation.
