Niger Delta Budget Group, Oxfam Advocate Inclusion for Women In Extractive

By Ed Malik, A | ed@ddnewsonline.com | posted Ocotober 3rd, 2024

Prominent regional advocacy Non-governmental organization, the Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG), in collaboration with Oxfam, organized a governmental colloquium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on August 30, 2024, focused on ensuring that women are actively involved in the extractive sector, particularly through Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

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The event highlighted the need to integrate women into the framework for administering the Host Communities Development Trust Fund established under the PIA, which allocates 3% of oil companies’ operational expenditure for host community development.
Participants, including government representatives, industry regulators, traditional leaders, academics, and women’s groups, emphasized that women’s participation in the PIA implementation is essential for achieving extractive justice.

The discussions also underscored the early stages of the 3% Host Communities Fund, calling for a thorough understanding of the fund’s budgetary provisions. Concerns were raised about the transparency of oil companies in calculating and declaring their operational expenses (OPEX), which affects the contributions to the fund, and the lack of gender equity in the current framework.
The colloquium concluded with recommendations for gender inclusion and strategies to address barriers to women’s involvement, aiming to ensure that the PIA benefits are equitably shared among all stakeholders, including women in host communities.

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Consequently, as part of processes to ensure transparency and equity, the Colloquium recommended the following steps:

Women should be among appointees into all the trust fund and other structures created by the PIA related to host communities trust funds. Women, privileged to be appointed, should remember plights of women in host communities, which should guide their technical and spiritual minds.

National Assembly should take its oversight functions seriously, especially, with respect to the implementation of the 3% host communities’ fund.

Traditional and community leaders, should be deliberate in creating roles for women throughout the PIA’s 3% structural chain and should encourage women to participate actively.

Traditional rulers, as custodians of culture and tradition, were urged to eliminate cultural norms that hinders women participation in the affairs of communities and emplace gender equity. Women across host communities deserve equal access to host communities’ fund.

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Women should be equipped with expertise to engage PIA’s processes, with men implored not to hijack all the opportunities, without consideration for women.

1% of the 3% Operating Expenditure of Oil and Gas Companies, should be allocated to women empowerment across host communities development trusts, projects, programs and activities.

The Colloquium received goodwill messages from several eminent personalities and agencies, including the Occasion’s Chairman, His Eminence, Ntenyin (Dr) Solomon D Etuk, JP, CFR, President-General, Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, President, Ifim Ibom Ibibio, Oku Ibom Ibibio Worldwide, Chancellor, Akwa Ibom State University and Paramount Ruler of Nsit Ubium Local Government, who was represented by His Royal Majesty, Edidem Monday Aniefiok Akpanobong, Paramount Ruler of Etinan Local Government Area. Other royal fathers in attendance were with goodwill messages were: His Royal Majesty, Edidem Raymond Timothy Inyang, FCA, Enin Akwa Afaha, Paramount Ruler of Onna Local Government Area & Pro-chancellor of Topfaith University, HRM, Owong (Prof) Effiong Bassey Achianga (JP)-Akwaba Owong Ibeno, Paramount Ruler of Ibeno Local Government Area & National Life Patron of Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON), who was represented by Chief Okon. U. Okon of Ibeno Clan Council, His Royal Highness, King J. D. Nkpe, Paramount Ruler of Alesa (Port Harcourt Refinery) Host Community, His Royal Highness, King Promise Ozinye Chika, Paramount Ruler of Rumuokwuta Clan, Apara Kingdom and Nye-weli of Okwuta, His Highness, Eze Such Ama Chinda, Eze Onumbam I of Rumuokwuta and Chairman Rumuokwuta Council of Chiefs and Elders; Pastor Otobong Peter Sambo, State Director of Planning, Ministry of Economic Development, Makan Isong Ukpong, Desk Officer, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Uwemedimo Okon of Akwa Ibom State University & Chairman, Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, among others.

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The resolutions were endorsed in the presence of His Eminence, Ntenyin (Dr) Solomon D Etuk, JP, CFR, President-General, Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, President, Ifim Ibom Ibibio, Oku Ibom Ibibio Worldwide, Chancellor, Akwa Ibom State University and Paramount Ruler of Nsit Ubium Local Government, who was represented by His Royal Majesty, Edidem Monday Aniefiok Akpanobong, Paramount Ruler of Etinan Local Government Area. Others are His Royal Highness, King J. D. Nkpe, Paramount Ruler of Alesa Town, His Highness (Dr.) George-Hill Anthony, the CEO, NDEBUMOG and Edidiong Wilson Ekanem, Acting Team Leader, Nsit Ubium Shadow Budget Group

The organizers and attendees commended NDEBUMOG and OXFAM, for organizing the event and called for similar initiatives to boost the conversation in regards to the contending issues.