House of Representatives Committee on South South Development Commission don raise alarm say Federal Government no implement two important Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) funds, dey deny Niger Delta communities ₦1.65 trillion since 2021.
Committee Chairman, Hon Julius Pondi, talk this on Tuesday for Abuja during session wey dem call to check why Abandonment and Decommissioning Fund and Environmental Remediation Fund never dey used. Di funds suppose help retire old oil facilities and clean environment.
According to di figures wey dem show, Abandonment and Decommissioning Fund suppose don gather ₦850 billion to ₦1.1 trillion, while Environmental Remediation Fund suppose don collect ₦420 billion to ₦550 billion since 2021.
Pondi talk say di delay na serious breach of environmental justice, say e dey put communities for wahala as farmlands dey polluted, rivers dey dirty, fisheries dey finish, and people dey face health risk.
E criticize regulators like NUPRC and NMDPRA for slow response and lack of transparency. Pondi add say if di situation continue, government fit create new agency wey go manage di funds properly.
Representatives of NOSDRA and supervising ministries dey present. House don dey push for PIA implementation since 2021 to prevent communities from carrying cost of cleaning oil spill.
“National Assembly no fit dey look as environmental wahala dey multiply and communities dey suffer,” Pondi talk.
