Incase you are not aware, the ANOH Gas Processing Company Limited (AGPC) has just completed a full onboarding induction for the newly inaugurated Board of Trustees of its Host Community Development Trust (HCDT).
It sounds like a mouthful, but the point is simple: money meant for these communities is now closer to actually being used for them. Of a truth, something important just happened for the oil-producing communities in Ohaji/Egbema, Imo State.
Under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 — Chapter Three, Sections 235 and 236 — oil and gas companies must set up a Host Community Development Trust. They also have to pay 3% of their previous year’s operating expenditure into it.
AGPC runs the ANOH gas plant in Assa. So this isn’t just a legal box to tick. It’s the rule that makes sure host communities get a direct share of development money.
The training came not long after Governor Hope Uzodimma met AGPC’s management at Government House in Owerri. During that meeting, the governor said his administration wants partnerships that actually work for Imo people. He asked the company to focus on things people can see and feel — local content, jobs, infrastructure, more revenue.
“This government remains committed to partnerships and collaborations that align with our objective of sharing prosperity across the State,” he said. The meeting also gave AGPC a chance to introduce its new Managing Director, Mr. James Makinde.
Then came the workshop for the new BoT members. It brought together the trustees, top AGPC executives, traditional rulers, and officials from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). They went through the tough parts: corporate governance rules, financial frameworks, procurement procedures. All those things can make or break community projects.
If trustees don’t know the rules, money can sit idle or get mismanaged. So the training was about giving them the tools to plan projects, understand how the 3% funding works, and manage risks.
Mr. Makinde, represented by the General Manager of Operations, Engr. Amaechi Nwogbe, told the trustees to be transparent, work together, and treat the job as a shared responsibility. That’s not just talk. The trust belongs to the community, and how the trustees handle it will decide whether people see real changes or just more promises.
After the workshop, the new Chairman of the AGPC HCDT BoT, Engr. Gideon Ikechukwu Nwaeze, had a direct message for young people in Ohaji/Egbema: protect the peace.
He said, “Sustainable growth and meaningful development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and stability.”
According to him, “Insecurity and unrest discourage investment. By establishing an enabling atmosphere, we ensure that the funds managed by this trust translate seamlessly into improved living standards, healthcare, and infrastructure.”
For Imo State, this trust is more than a PIA requirement. It’s the pathway for the state’s gas wealth to finally reach the communities that have lived with gas operations for years.
If the trustees do their job and the communities keep the peace, the money can turn into roads, health centres, power, and better lives. If not, it becomes another file on a shelf. The training is a good first step. The real test is what happens next.
