Having waited patiently for the Asset Management Team and the Sterling Global Oil Exploration and Energy Company, working with the NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) to operationalise the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Delta State host communities under OML 26 have said they can no longer wait and are now prepared to take their destinies in their hands.
This was contained in a statement signed by Erere Okpako and Angela Akpofa, for Isoko Grassroots Mobilizers.
According to the group, Chapter 3 of the PIA is very clear about the responsibility of the settlor to the host communities.
“It is expected that three percent of the settlors yearly operating expenditure is set aside for community development through the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT).
“But strangely, the settlor only made a paltry remittance to the HCDT of OML 26 contrary to the PIA. This was in October 2025, nearly two years after the inauguration of the HCDT.
“Curiously, the remittance was short paid by about N2.4billion,” the group claimed.
It added that the settlor’s attention was drawn to the shortfall in November 2025, but further alleged that the company didn’t respond until December 22, 2025, when a virtual meeting held without any resolution despite the assurance of the company that it would respond within two weeks.
Having exhausted every peaceful means to end the impasse between the host communities and the settlor, youth of the aggrieved oil-producing ommunities are threatening to shutdown operations at OML 26.
“We are not unmindful of the implications of a blockade, but we can no longer wait endlessly for developments that are not forthcoming.
Read also:
- 2027: Stakeholder demand adherence to zoning arrangement in Eket, Edit Eket, Onna, Ibeno Federal Constituency
- Delta to bridge Health workforce gap with Ovrode Health College
- Nigeria’s oil output climds to 1.84m barrels per day, says NUPRC
“These communities have lived without electricity and other amenities for ages, whereas the funds were meant for project development in OML 26 as stipulated by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
“The Isoko Grassroots Mobilizers have been monitoring the activities of the Asset Management Team and Sterling Global Oil Exploration and Energy in OML 26 and note with sadness the lukewarm response to the underdevelopment of the communities.
“It is on record that OML 26 is lagging behind in terms of infrastructural development in the Niger Delta.
“Our findings have confirmed that no single project has been executed since the PIA took off in OML 26, since February 13, 2024.
“We therefore call on relevant government agencies to prevail on the Asset management Team and Sterling Global Oil to resolve the issue and pay all the outstanding monies to avert shutdown of their operations in OML 26,” the group said.
