The stakeholders, comprising community leaders, government officials and industry players made the demand for the collaboration to drive sustainable development during the second KEFFESO Host Communities Development Trust (KHCDT) Stakeholders Forum in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Chairman of the KHCDT Board of Trustees, Moses Theophilus, said the forum provides a platform for dialogue and practical solutions to challenges facing host communities.
The monarch, while noting that the PIA has created development opportunities, stressed that there were still gaps in areas, such as employment, community participation and capacity building that require urgent attention.
King Theophilus stressed that development should go beyond infrastructure to include sustainability, inclusiveness and long-term impact, adding that communities must take ownership of projects for lasting benefits.
He also called for stronger partnerships among stakeholders to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure that development initiatives were well coordinated and impactful.
“This forum continues to serve as a vital platform for dialogue, reflection and collective action towards the sustainable development of our host communities.
“We must move beyond short-term interventions and embrace long-term thinking. We must ensure that our projects are not only executed, but also maintained, owned and beneficial to future generations.”
Also speaking, the representative of the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to sustainable host community development, which underscores the importance of structured partnership.
He noted that the PIA provides a transformative framework for host community development trusts, positioning them as accountable and well-structured vehicles for long-term socio-economic growth.
“The Petroleum Industry Act provides a clear and transformative framework for host community development. Host communities are vital stakeholders and their development must be structured, predictable and sustainable.
“Through the PIA, the host communities are not just goodwill gestures. They are institutional vehicles designed to deliver long-term benefits for communities.”
In his remarks, Governor Douye Diri, represented by the Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Peter Afagha, said the forum is important for strengthening relationships between communities and operators.
He noted that visionary leadership, accountability and inclusive growth are essential for achieving lasting development in host communities, adding that the state government had prioritised people-centred development, transparency and economic growth, which have contributed to peace and stability in the state.
Chief Executive Officer of First Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited (First E&P), Mr. Ademola Adeyemi, said the success of the PIA framework depends largely on transparent governance, disciplined execution of projects and meaningful involvement of women, youths and vulnerable groups in decision-making process
“As we have learned from experience, legislation alone does not deliver development. It is the quality of leadership, the strength of institutions and the depth of accountability that ultimately determine outcomes.
“Visionary leadership must be matched with accountability frameworks that build and sustain trust. Inclusivity must go beyond representation to meaningful participation, particularly for women, youth and vulnerable groups,” he said.