By Obiabin Onukwugha
Esit Eket communities in Akwa Ibom State have demanded accountability from the Board and members of the Host Community Development Trust, HCDT, warning that they may be forced to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, if details of expenditure of monies that accused to the area since 2021 was not properly accounted for.
The communities made the demand at an enlarged meeting held at the palace of the Paramount Ruler of Esit Eket, Ubong Peter Assam II. They insisting that members of the Trust disclose total inflows, expenditures, scholarship disbursements and projects executed since the body was constituted in 2021.
Speaking, Paramount Ruler of Esit Eket, Ubong Peter Assam II, emphasised that the demand is.aimed at protecing the community resources and to restore confidence in the administration of the Petroleum Industry Act, (PIA) framework.
“Our children were given opportunity to serve our community since 2021 in the PIA and their tenure had long expired. We asked them to come and render account. It was not an act to witch hunt anyone,” the monarch said.
He further alleged that despite repeated invitations by the traditional institution, some representatives of the Trust have refused to appear before the community, while others allegedly resorted to attacks against traditional rulers on social media.
Former House of Representatives spokesman and Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, lamented what he described as the visible underdevelopment of Esit Eket despite significant financial inflows linked to oil operations.
He cited epileptic electricity supply, lack of banking infrastructure and poor development indices as evidence that host communities had not meaningfully benefited from proceeds accruing under the PIA structure.
It was gathered that the demand followed an earlier communiqué issued by Esit Eket traditional rulers in January 2026 demanding the dissolution of the current Trust leadership, an independent audit of all PIA related finances from 2021 to 2025 and the suspension of further payments pending the outcome of investigations.