King Bubaraye Dokolo, the Chairman, of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, has said that host communities should play more active roles in the oil and gas value chain.
Dokolo, also the Paramount Ruler, Ekpetiama Kingdom, made the advocacy while speaking at the torch lighting ceremony for the 2022 Oil and Gas Stakeholders Festival (OGSFEST) in Yenagoa on Sunday.
He said that Niger Delta communities would become more peaceful and productive if they played more active roles in managing the oil and gas resources in their domain.
Dakolo said it was morally wrong for the Federal Government to give oil blocs to people who do not suffer the adverse effects of oil and gas explorations.
”As a region, the Niger Delta has nothing to show after six decades of exploration and production in its land.
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”We should play key roles in managing and determining how our resources are used. This is in the interest of justice and fairness,” he said.
In her address, OGSFEST 2022 Convener, Ms. Onome Wilkinson, said the ceremony was to kickstart the event billed to hold in Uyo, Akwa Ibom in August.
She said that OGSFEST was aimed at promoting peace, unity, and a symbiotic relationship among oil and gas host communities through a funfair approach.
She said the Festival would showcase essay competitions, epic dramas, colorfully packaged cultural performances, and roundtable discussions.
”The roundtable discussions will focus mainly on issues concerning the environment, oil spillage, enabling laws, and more,” he said.
