Community Development Advocacy Foundation - CODAF

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Tackling Community Development & Environmental Injustice in Delta State’s Oil-Bearing Communities.

For years, the oil-bearing communities of Delta State have lived with a difficult paradox: immense natural wealth beneath their soil, yet very little to show for it above ground. It was in response to this long-standing imbalance that the project “Tackling Community Development & Environmental Injustice in Delta State’s Oil-Bearing Communities” was conceived.

Launched five years ago by CODAF, the initiative set out with a clear and urgent mission to confront the chronic underdevelopment and environmental degradation that have plagued small petroleum-producing communities despite decades of extraction. While oil has flowed steadily from these lands, basic infrastructure, social investment, and environmental protection have remained painfully absent. The project aimed to change that narrative by empowering communities with knowledge, voice, and accountability tools.

At its core, the project focused on three critical objectives. First, it sought to assess how much local communities were actually involved in the Host Community Development Trust Fund (HCDT), a key provision of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021. Second, it worked to raise awareness about the rights and opportunities embedded in the PIA—particularly the mechanisms designed to ensure that host communities benefit directly from oil revenues. Third, it took on the difficult task of exposing corruption and non-compliance within the oil and gas sector, shining a light on practices that have long hindered grassroots development.
The initiative reached a wide cross-section of society, including youths, women, men, and people with disabilities across three target communities. Through outreach, education, and advocacy, it began to shift perceptions and spark conversations that had long been suppressed.

One of the most powerful indicators of success emerged from Ellu community. Once characterized by exclusion and silence, Ellu began to show signs of transformation. Feedback gathered in 2025 revealed that the community was actively moving toward establishing a functional HCDT committee.

As the project reflects on five years of work, there is a strong sense of gratitude and purpose. The dedication of the team working under challenging conditions in communities like Ozoro, Ellu, and Ovrode has helped move people from silence to action. What began as an effort to raise awareness has grown into a movement for justice, accountability, and community empowerment.

The journey is far from over. But with each step, the vision becomes clearer: transforming oil wealth into real, lasting community wealth.

Join the EnviroGyst program every Thursday by 10:00am on Quest 93.1fm as we talk about the little things that affect the environment.

This week, we will be looking at the topic, Give To Gain: Rights, Justice And Action For All Women And Girls.

Tune in and Listen!