By Solomon OKPO | The Evangelist News Desk
The third Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the NNPC/SEPNU EMOIMEE Host Communities Development Trust has provided an opportunity for stakeholders to assess the Trust’s performance, commend its development initiatives and make fresh demands for greater investment in the host communities.
The meeting, which held amid reported boycott calls by some Paramount Rulers, witnessed commendations from traditional rulers, political leaders, government representatives, regulatory authorities, civil society organisations and other stakeholders, who acknowledged the progress recorded by the Trust within its three years of operation.
While applauding its interventions in healthcare, education, community infrastructure, utilities, digital skills acquisition, human capital development and technical and vocational training, participants stressed the need for more inclusive development, youth mentorship, improved security of completed projects and sustained investment in the benefiting communities.
In its presentation, the Trust highlighted the support and collaboration of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Seplat Energy Producing Nigeria Unlimited (SEPNU), its settlor, noting that improved relations between host communities and the oil and gas operator remained one of its significant achievements.
According to the Trust, sustained stakeholder engagement has helped build confidence, promote mutual understanding and gradually transform previous tensions into stronger relationships and partnerships.
However, EMOIMEE acknowledged the challenges associated with competing community demands and limited resources, explaining that project selection under its Community Development Plan required careful prioritisation to ensure that pressing needs and projects with wider community benefits received attention.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Hon. Justus E. Ntuk, assured communities yet to benefit directly from the Trust’s interventions that they should remain hopeful, stressing the commitment of the leadership to ensuring that development opportunities are extended across the host communities.
The pioneer and outgone Chairman of EMOIMEE, Senator Helen Esuene, congratulated the current leadership and commended SEPNU for its support, describing the achievements recorded within three years as a solid foundation for greater accomplishments.
“In just three years, we have achieved this much, so I congratulate the leadership of EMOIMEE and Seplat, the settlor. This is merely the beginning, and I believe that moving forward, you will achieve even more,” she stated, while applauding the spirit of teamwork within the organisation.
Similarly, the Paramount Ruler of Onna, Edidem Raymond Inyang, called on Seplat to pay greater attention to the developmental needs of the host communities, insisting that the people expected more from the Trust and its settlor.
“We depend on EMOIMEE for our development, and Seplat should do more. Seplat should prioritise the needs of EMOIMEE,” he said, describing the Trust as the largest in Nigeria.
Senator Ekong Sampson, represented by Rev. Obot Ekanem, also commended the EMOIMEE leadership for its accomplishments, noting that the Trust had helped translate the vision and spirit of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) into practical community development.
He urged the management to utilise contributions and recommendations from the stakeholders’ forum to strengthen its programmes and deliver more impactful projects.
The Senator’s representative also appealed to Paramount Rulers and traditional institutions to provide an enabling environment for the effective implementation of development initiatives, emphasising that cooperation among traditional rulers and other stakeholders remained essential to the Trust’s success.
Former Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Engr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, acknowledged the challenges involved in establishing an institution from the ground up and commended the leadership for the progress recorded.
He, however, identified youth mentorship as an area requiring greater attention, describing investment in the younger generation as essential to the long-term development and sustainability of the host communities.
Also speaking, Mr. Sam Ekpenyong, a member of the Board of Trustees of Independence Trust, Ibeno, commended the foundation laid by EMOIMEE and expressed optimism that the current leadership would receive the necessary time, cooperation and support to consolidate its achievements and expand its development impact.
The Deputy Director of NUPRC, Dr. Olaide Sholowu, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that the Trust fulfilled its statutory responsibilities.
“Our role is to ensure that the Trust lives up to its essence. We continue to monitor compliance. On behalf of the Commission, I commend the management of EMOIMEE on the progress recorded thus far,” she said.
In his remarks, the Manager of Public Relations, SEPNU, Mr. Effiong Esewu, explained that the fundamental purpose of the Trust was to bring development closer to the people.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress made and assured that Seplat would continue supporting EMOIMEE, particularly in developing a sustainability framework to preserve completed projects and extend the benefits of its interventions.
“We at Seplat are determined to add value to the development of the community. We will continue to support the Trust to ensure its success,” Esewu stated, congratulating the management for convening the AGM.
Former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Noble Lady Valerie Ebe, equally expressed satisfaction with the development interventions she had observed, expressing confidence in the future of the Trust if its present efforts were sustained.
The Akwa Ibom State Civil Society community leader, Otuekong Franklyn Isong, also commended EMOIMEE’s performance, describing it as the fourth tier of government upon which host communities could consistently rely for development.
He, however, maintained that while the Trust deserved commendation for its achievements, constructive criticism should also be welcomed whenever shortcomings were identified, as accountability remained necessary for institutional growth.
The meeting further highlighted the importance of protecting completed projects against vandalism, strengthening community ownership, expanding opportunities for young people and ensuring that development interventions reflected the needs of all benefiting communities.
In its concluding remarks, EMOIMEE expressed appreciation to stakeholders for their cooperation and reaffirmed its commitment to the statutory provisions establishing the Trust, promising to deepen transparency, inclusiveness, responsible stewardship and sustainable development.
The AGM ended at about 3:00 p.m. with a closing prayer offered by Rev. Obot Ekanem.
