Stakeholders at the EMOIMEE Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) Annual General Meeting (AGM), have called on Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) to unbundle its stiff disbursement modalities to ease delivery of development projects to host communities.
EMOIMEE, an acronym for Eastern Obolo, Mbo, Onna, Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin, Eket and Esit Eket local government areas that make up the HCDT, was established by the NNPC/MPN Joint Venture, in accordance with the requirements of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The stakeholders who shared their views on Tuesday, November 19, at the Villa Marina Hotel, Eket in Akwa Ibom State, included the former Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation and Belarus, Mr Assam Assam; immediate past Secretary to the Government of Akwa Ibom State, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem; Ahta of Eket Nation and Paramount Ruler of Eket LGA, Edidem Etim Daniel Abia and President-General of Eket Peoples Union, Dr Samuel Udonsak.
They spoke in one voice calling on the MPNU to review their disbursement processes and make implementation of projects easier, so the poor masses who could feel the impact of the Trust.
Others who corroborated the demand at the event were council chairmen, women and youth representatives of the seven LGAs, as well as other concerned speakers.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the EMOIMEE Board of Trustees, Senator Helen Esuene in an elaborate address explained the modus operandi, account summary, projects implemented and challenges faced by EMOIMEE.
She listed the BoT Members to include those of Eastern Obolo, Sir Aboh Uduyok and Lily Evans John; Mbo, Sir Asuquo Edet Inuikim; Onna, Engr Clinton Akpan; Ikot Abasi, Hon. Justus Ntuks; Mkpat Enin, Engr Sunny Udo; Eket, Air Commodore Charles Usoh; Esit Eket, Barr Bassey Dan-Abia and a staff of MPNU, Mr Akaninyene Esiere who is the BoT Secretary.
According to Senator Esuene, out of the N36,887,186,260 being the total inflow from the settlor for the 2021 and 2022, only N4,350,583,398 was spent for projects, while N27,665,389,695 was unspent in the project account, even as N7,377,437,252 was in the reserved account.
She cited administrative bottleneck on the side of the settlor as being responsible for the huge sum unspent, even when the BoT had treated a total of 138 memos as at October 2024.
She also listed projects executed to include award of secondary schools and tertiary education scholarships, ICT trainings, skills acquisition programmes, empowerment (transportation) distribution, ambulance distribution, medical outreaches, among others.
Others who also spoke at the event were the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mallam Mele Kyari, represented by the Lead, Community Relations, Mr Loveday Mina; the Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr Gbenga Komolafe represented by Ass. Dir., NUPRC, Kingsley Ehiaguna; among many others.
