By Moses Patience Chat
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has developed an industry intelligent digital automated platform for reporting and monitoring the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) to ensure transparent administration of the Host Communities’ provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
The Commission Chief Executive (CCE), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja at the “Host Community Sensitization Workshop on Implementation of the Host Communities Development Trust,” which he said was organized to help deliberate on the operations and funding of the new digital platform to be hosted by the Commission.
The Industry Digital Automated Portal (IDAP) for Host Community Development is designed to meet specific requirements of HCDT as stipulated in the PIA, as well as enable all stakeholders to carry out their responsibilities to host communities and promote accountability and transparency in the management of the HCDT programme.
According to the Commission, the platform was developed in collaboration with an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and will also enable quick feedbacks from the stakeholders and the public for the Commission to carry out its regulatory oversight effectively.
While making his presentation during the workshop, Komolafe said “our objective in this workshop is to create further awareness on this very important piece of legislation and provide updates on the Commission’s activities geared towards the implementation of the regulations for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, provide a clear roadmap for the implementation of the Host Communities Development Trust Fund to enhance peaceful and harmonious co-existence between oil and gas industry operators and host communities, and ultimately support the development of host communities.”
Engr. Komolafe stated that the PIA represents a significant shift in the way the oil and gas industry in Nigeria operates, and that “it recognizes the critical role of host communities and provides a framework for their participation in the sector’s development.”
According to him, the establishment of the HCDT will create a more equitable distribution of the industry’s benefits and reduce the social and economic disparities in the country, and “we must all play our part in creating a sustainable and equitable oil and gas industry that benefits all Nigerians, particularly those in the host communities.”