A’Ibom Oil producing communities pledge to settle issues hindering PIA implementation

OIL producing communities of Unyenge and Ntak- Inyang in Mbo and Esit Eket Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom state respectively, have pledged to settle all issues hindering implementation of provisions for Host communities in the Petroleum Industry, (PIA) Act, 2021 in their areas.

The host communities to Universal Energy Resources Limited (UERL), stated gave their assurances in Uyo during a multi-stakeholders meeting organized by the Initiative for Africa Society Inclusion and Diversity (INCLUD) with support from the MacArthur Foundation.

These were contained in a communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by all stakeholders representatives’, including village head of Ntak-Inyang, Chief John Ekwere, and Village Head of Unyenge, Chief Okon Etteokpo.

In the communique made available to newsmen on Thursday in Uyo, Ntak- Inyang impacted community in particular, pledged to withdraw a pending court injunction over the PIA.

Ntak- Inyang communities also pledged to submit at least six names to the Settlor (UERL) as their representatives for the Board of Trustee (BOT), Management Committee, and Advisory Committee in line with the PIA ACt of 2021.

According to the communique, the stakeholders’ including Civil Society Organizations, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and Universal Energy Resources Limited resolved that, “the BOT Chairman and team in both Unyenge and Ntak-Inyang should continuously engage with the communities on their programs and activities.

The communique added that, “the Settlor, BOT, and key stakeholders agreed to resolve the rift between the two factions in Ntak- Inyang. Also all grievances from host communities should be communicated in writing to the BOT for consideration.

“The stakeholders’ resolved that the community development plan and annual budget should be made public to members of host communities upon approval.

“That following complaint of non-employment of indigenes of the host communities in the UERL, the’ company should prioritize employment of indigenes of host communities as stipulated in the local content law, otherwise, the communities should petition NCDMB”

In her brief opening remarks Executive Director of INCLUD, Olayinka Akerelodu-Martins, stressed that the stakeholders’ meeting became important in order to address the challenges affecting (UERL’S) Host communities in the state.

“We want to see that the host communities are carried along. There is need for everyone to have understanding of the whole thing

That will bring about the much-desired transparency and accountability”, She advised

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By Tessy ogbemi An angry mob set ablaze a woman accused in a failed child kidnapping attempt in Agbarho community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. The incident happened on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. An eyewitness disclosed at the scene of the incident at Ekwvere Road claimed that the woman hid the seven year old boy she allegedly abducted in a sack, adding that she was even carrying a Bible on one hand. Community sources said some residents in the area accosted the lady when they observed the way she was dragging the sack, to know what she had in it. "She was unstable when they asked her to disclose what she was carrying in the sack. When the bag was forced open, they found a seven year old child in it. They shouted and it attracted a large crowd,” a source said. It was gathered that the angry mob immediately brought a used tyre to the scene, which they forced down her neck after beating her to a pulp. “The lady and the tyre we...

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