NGO Steps Up Monitoring And Evaluation Team In Six Rivers LGA On PIA.
Katherine Abayomi, Port Harcourt.
The demands of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which states that 3% of the operating cost of oil companies will be paid to host communities for their developmental purposes in the Niger Delta region, have yielded little or no significant results.
In monitoring and evaluating what projects these Host Community Development Trust Fund (HCDTF ) have done in their areas, the Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Center held a one-day capacity training on Data Security and privacy in Port Harcourt.
The event brought together critical stakeholders from six local government areas in Rivers State. Emouha, Omoku, Gokana/Tia, Asari-Toru, Akuku-Tori and Degema LGA . The discourse was centred on how well these HCDTs have utilized the funds and whether needs assessment was followed in projects carried out. They also received training on how their data can be protected and managed. They should have strong access control,safe data transmission, etc. They were also taught personal tips on how to protect themselves from cyber-attacks.
While Speaking with Journalist at the event, Iniodu Jacob, a member of the monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning team at Kebetkache Learning and Resource Center, mentioned the reason for this training was to find out what their HCDTF is doing in their various communities and how well they have benefited from the 3% according to the PIA and close up any gaps he stated
“They’re looking at what their host community in their local government are doing, what projects is the host community doing in their local govt, and how was that project informed. The PIA states that all projects done must pass through needs assessment, so we want to know if all the projects passed through the needs assessment process and they were grouped according to their local government to achieve that.”
The breakout session from these stakeholders revealed that in the six(6) LGAs present, most of the community members are aware that the PIA duo projects were not carried out in most communities. In some that have projects, the projects were done on an individual basis without needs assessment.
Jacob further stated that The percentage of women in Niger Delta is extremely high at 70 – 75%, and if Hdct do their beat by using the 3%, there will be a reduction of poverty among women especially in the Niger Delta, stating that they where bought to also enhance their knowledge to privatise their data to secure data which they get from the community as monitoring groups in the community without letting the data loose because of its implications if it happens.
A stakeholder from Etche Local Government stated that the HCDT has been cabalized,that the interest of the community people are not proitized he stated.
Another delegate from Emohua mentioned that the projects were a total imposition. There was no project developmental plan, no needs assessment, no consultation from the community, and gender inequality in the process.
The breakout session ended with a monitoring/action group to close the mentioned gaps.
The action groups are to carry out Advocacy, awareness and sensitization on the PIA.
They also agreed to closely be involved in monitoring of projects to avoid abandoned projects from milestones to completion.There by monitoring funds implementation ,as well as been involved in community
engagement Orientation and Leavageing on social media handles .
