The Need to Shine Light on the Shadows of HCDTs

The Need to Shine Light on the Shadows of HCDTs

By Ekemini Simon

The Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) in Akwa Ibom State have been plagued by transparency and accountability issues, hindering their effectiveness in promoting community development.

It is heartwarming that Connected Development in partnership with OXFAM days ago held a capacity building session with members of the various HCDTs in the State to address persistent challenges concerning the functionality, compliance, and service delivery of HCDTs. This was implemented under the Power of Voices Project.

Yours truly, privileged to be a participant called for oil and gas companies to publish their annual financial statements and reports as that is a crucial step towards ensuring transparency for HCDTs implementation. This would indeed enable communities to accurately calculate the 3 percent Operating Expenditure (OPEX) allocated to them, preventing potential discrepancies and mistrust. Without this transparency, the 3% allocation might indeed be “3% of a lie”.

The lack of transparency in HCDTs has been a recurring issue, with many communities unaware of how funds are being utilized. I recommended for each HCDT to have a portal detailing financial receipts and implementation. This would promote public accountability and ensure that communities are informed about the projects and initiatives being implemented.

But beyond the above, citizens must take a keen interest in the activities of HCDTs to prevent hijack from Benefit Captors. By doing so, communities can hold their HCDT leaders accountable and ensure that the benefits of the HCDTs are equitably distributed.

Yes, the fact remains that the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has brought about new challenges, particularly in terms of transparency and accountability. Regardless, the Act provides a solid legal framework, but its implementation has been hampered by weak enforcement and local manipulation. It is essential that stakeholders prioritize transparency and accountability in HCDTs to ensure that the benefits of the PIA are realized.

By adopting open governance models, including websites and other channels for interaction with citizens, HCDTs can perform transparently and build trust with the communities they serve.