Obagi, Rivers State – The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Oil and Gas Host Communities, Senator Benson Agadaga, has inaugurated a series of landmark projects executed through the 3% Host Communities Development Trust allocation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) in the Obagi Host Communities of Rivers State.
Senator Agadaga, who represents the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, was accompanied at the inauguration by the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu, representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), International Oil Companies (IOCs), and members of the National Assembly.
Speaking at the event held in Ogbogu Community, Senator Agadaga expressed delight at the tangible impact of the PIA, describing the projects as a testament to the vision and sacrifices of those who championed the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) until it was passed into law. He congratulated the Board of Trustees of the Obagi Host Communities Development Trust for being the first among oil-producing communities across the nine states to meaningfully implement the 3% allocation.
The Senator further observed that the relative peace in Nigeria’s oil-producing regions today is a result of the opportunities and hope provided by the PIA, which has significantly reduced hostilities and boosted crude oil output to nearly two million barrels per day. He urged other host communities yet to activate their Development Trusts to do so without delay, warning that sanctions may apply to those who fail to maximize the PIA’s benefits.
Senator Agadaga also appealed for sustained peaceful coexistence between host communities and IOCs, noting that continued cooperation would attract more people-oriented projects and investments to the region.
Among the projects inaugurated were:
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Ogbogu Secondary School
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Ogbogu Cottage Hospital
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Ogbogu Civic Center (all in Ogbogu Community)
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Amah Water Factory and Bottled Water Company (Amah Community)
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Community Secondary Schools (North and South) in Akabuka Community
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Oboburu Internal Road
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Cooking Gas Plant (Erema Community)
These projects, Senator Agadaga emphasized, are clear evidence that the PIA is transforming lives and communities, while fostering peace, progress, and development in Nigeria’s oil-rich regions.
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