The Governors from the South South zone of Nigeria has shun the public hearing in the zone on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) that took place in Port Harcourt at Presidential Hotel.
Commenting on the poor turn out by governors of the region and the stakeholders including oil conglomerate, it was clear that the deserve attention was not given to the bill.
In his opening remark the chief whip of the House of Representative and chairman ADHOC committee on Petroleum Industry Bill, Hon. Ishaka Bawa explained that he and the committee members did their best in the area of publicity as he personally handed over the letter of invitation on the programme to the chairman of governor’s forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi and another to the chairman Northern governors’ forum and governor of Niger State Alhaji Babagida Aliyu but was surprised that non of the governors mobilize their people to the place especially the local government chairmen and traditional rulers from the zone.
He regretted that only the governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi send in a representative Prof. Dagogo Fubara on a matter that is very sensitive to the people of Niger Delta and the South-South zone of Nigeria.
Hon. Bawa said he was however, happy with those who attended the programme and made contributions and submission of memorandum for this all important issue presently at the floor of the National Assembly.
The chairman House Adhoc committee on Petroleum Industry Bill assured all those who presented memorandum on the PIB that their views must be taken into consideration when the matter will be considered by the committee on the whole.
He said the people of the south-south should consider themselves lucky to be part of those who contribute to the bill and they will do their do their work well for the speedy passage of the bill, but noted that the six geopolitical zone was holding the public hearing same date at the different zones in the country.
It could be recall that the Petroleum Industry Bill when passed into law will give some percentage of the oil resources to the Host communities from the contribution of the oil companies.
Some of the clauses mostly canvassed against was the one that give much power to the president to allocate oil block in an emergency situation and the much power given to the minister of Petroleum to negotiate oil deals on behave to the country, including been a chairman of all the petroleum board and agencies.
The issue of sabotage was raised on the fact that communities will be held responsible on any pipeline vandalization. This the host communities viewed as given something with the right hand and collecting that same thing with the left hand as exchange from the PIB.
Highlight of the event was the interactive session, questions, answers, suggestions and clarification.
Members of the committee for the south-south zone are Hon. Ishaka Bawa chairman, Dr. Mahmud Isah secretary, Hon. Hassan Saleh, Hon. Musa Adah, Hon. Asita O. Asita, Hon. Chile Igbawua and Hon. Uzor Azubike. ###
Pius Dukor
