By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

Stakeholders and community based groups in the Niger Delta have expressed their dismay over what they describe as the continued marginalization of oil producing communities in the ownership, control, and economic benefits of Nigeria’s oil and gas resources.

The concerns according to the stakeholders follow recent developments in the county’s petroleum sector, including the divestment of onshore assets by multinationals and the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, regretting that inspite of these, the provisions does not amount to meaningful economic ownership or participation of host communities in the oil and gas sector.

The stakeholders in a statement issued in Yenagoa , the Bayelsa State capital after a meeting, frowned that the only major role currently played by many Niger Delta stakeholders in the oil industry is the protection and surveillance of pipelines and critical infrastructure that transport Nigeria’s crude oil.

The statement was signed by Dr Benjamin Style Tamaranebi, National President HOSTCOM , Dr Sele Godwill , National Secretary, Community’s of Oil and Gas Areas in Niger Delta (COGAN) and Dr Chris Inyang, National Director Community Environmental Protection and Watch (CEPAW).

They statement reads: “Despite the region producing the vast majority of Nigeria’s crude oil for more than six decades, host communities remain largely excluded from the ownership and strategic management of the industry that operates on their ancestral lands.

“The divestment transferred major onshore oil and gas infrastructure across the Niger Delta, including 15 oil mining leases, three shallow-water leases, extensive pipeline networks, flow stations, and hundreds of wells, representing billions of barrels in reserves.

“Despite these large-scale asset transfers involving resources located in the Niger Delta, host communities remain largely excluded from direct ownership participation and while the Petroleum Industry Act , PIA, created the Host Community Development Trust, HCDT, framework requiring operators to contribute 3 percent of operating expenditure, the provision does not amount to meaningful economic ownership or participation.”

According to the statement, the only major role currently played by many Niger Delta stakeholders in the oil industry is the protection and surveillance of pipelines and critical infrastructure that transport Nigeria’s crude oil.

They noted that pipeline surveillance arrangements introduced in recent years have significantly helped reduce oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and production losses, thereby stabilizing Nigeria’s oil output.

However, the community leaders warned that any attempt to politicize, delay, or undermine these security arrangements as already created unnecessary tensions in the region.

“Peace in the Niger Delta is directly tied to the stability of Nigeria’s oil production and the overall health of the national economy, any delay in the renewal of pipeline surveillance contracts or harassment of those responsible for protecting these national assets could be interpreted by communities as further marginalization and may threaten the fragile stability currently enjoyed in the region.

“We called on the federal government and relevant regulators to ensure fairness in the management of Nigeria’s petroleum resource.to address these issues in the interest of peace, justice, and sustainable development, as stability in the Niger Delta remains essential to Nigeria’s economic future.

“We therefore demand as follows:”Greater equity participation for host communities in oil and gas assets operating on their land and key Niger Delta stakeholders must be considered in the ongoing asset allocation.

“A transparent review of recent oil asset divestments, stronger implementation of local content policies, environmental remediation and compensation for decades of pollution in the Niger Delta,” they stated.