The National Assembly Joint Committee on Host Communities has strongly criticized Agip Oil Company for its alleged non-compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) regarding its obligations to the host communities.

During a meeting held in Abuja committee members specifically accused the Italian oil giants of failing to remit the three percent Host Communities Trust Fund, to beneficiaries.

Chairman of the House Committee on Host Communities in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dumnamane Robinson Dekor, expressed his concern about the company’s failure to release the designated funds to the host communities, attributing it to the sluggish pace of development in the area.

"If the funds stipulated by the PIA are provided to the host communities, it will result in more development and increase revenue for them," he emphasized.

Rt. Hon. Dekor, a former Deputy Speaker in the Rivers State House of Assembly and former Works Commissioner in the state, asserted that the benefits of the PIA have not yet been experienced by the people in the oil-producing region.

Several other lawmakers present at the meeting expressed their worries about the continued mistreatment of the host communities, suggesting that if the situation persists, it may lead to a potential uprising.

They questioned whether this approach aligns with the goal of achieving lasting peace in the Niger Delta region.