***Says HOSTCOM will soon picket Multinaltionals that defaults on 3% PIA remmitance
The national President of the Host communities Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) Dr Benjamin Style has sent a message of felicitations to the chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) Engr Gbenga Komolafe FNSE, on his 60th birthday as he prayed for God’s blessings upon him.
Dr Style commended Komolafe for the quality he has put in place in the Upstream Petroleum operations within two years adding that he has finetuneed the fortunes of the Upstream Petroleum sector to an enviable heights with reforms.
According to him, Komolafe has also prioritised Host Communities Development Regulations and brought them closer to the Commission with continued engagement which has built the trust of the host Communities.
Explaining further, Style indicated that the Commission’s Chief Executive has displayed the gentleman quality in him and fulfilled the promises he made to Host Communities at Yenagoa engagement in 2022.
“Some of these initiatives included the citing of Alternative Disputes Resolution mechainism Center (ADR) at Yenagoa and Creating Host Community’s response centres in all oil and gas producing states in the management of Host Community’s Development Trusts,
“Engr Gbenga has also spoken strongly against the lack of commitment on the part of the oil Companies to the remittance of 3% annual OPEX to host communities as he has called on oil multinationals to do the needful in other not to risk revocation of their licenses.
Host Communities’ organisations held sensitization meetings in PortHarcourt Rivers State, Yenagoa in Bayelsa State and in Warri in Delta where they have resolved to mobilise and visit all the operating companies both Onshore and offshore to check compliance and any company found not to have complied with the PIA regulations will have themselves to be blame after two years of the extant law.
He said they would be left with no option at the end of October than to embark on the visits.
From the angle of the Host communities
Dr Style expressed his commitmwnt to support the Commission on the angle of the host communities .
He prayed to God to reward Egnr Gbenga Komolafe with more wisdom to impact the Commission and the Host Communities (HOSTCOM).