News
PIB Scales Second Reading In Senate
After three days of intense debates and contributions on the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), northern senators were yesterday caged by their southern colleagues, and the bill unanimously scaled the crucial second reading.
The resolution by the senators to pass the bill was contrary to fears from some quarters, especially with the initial stiff opposition from the lawmakers from the North that it will not see the light of the day.
The passage also comes barely 24 hours after the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, PDP, Akwa Ibom North/East, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to revoke and re-allocate oil blocs where he raised alarm that the Northerners control 83 per cent of oil blocs in the country, leaving a negligible 27 per cent for the South, where the oil comes from.
Notable Northerners including Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero; late president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua; former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; former minister of defence, Gen Theophilous Danjuma; Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; Rilwanu Lukman, among others were named as the owners of the oil blocs in Nigeria.
The bill, which passed through second reading at the upper legislative chamber, had altogether 81 out of the 109 senators that spoke on it for the three days.
Speaking after discussions on the bill by the senators, Senate President, David Mark, who presided over the plenary, said that the PIB belongs to all Nigerians, and not a part of the country.
Senate president, said that the bill was not about the North versus the South, adding that what was good for the North was equally good for the South.
Several senators from the North had rejected the 10 per cent host community fund proposed in the PIB, and said that it would further widen the disparity in federation allocations.
Mark said: “I must emphasise that the bill is not North versus South, far from that. What is good for the North is also good for the South and what is bad for the South is bad for the North.”
The Senate president said that all the senators, who contributed to the debate acknowledged the fact that the bill was critical to the restructuring the oil sector.
He said that the lawmakers were unanimous in their demands that certain aspects of the bill needed to be amended to ensure transparency in the oil industry.
“Let me emphasise that no bill has come to the chamber that we have not tinkered with. So, the draft bill that has been given to us is not sacrosanct.
“It will go for second reading and public hearing and by the time it comes back; there will be amendments, additions and subtractions.
“The committees that will look at it will bring the bill back in a manner that will reflect the views that we have expressed here and the views gathered from the public.
“More importantly, when the bill comes back from the public hearing, we are going to do clause by clause consideration of it in this chamber,’’ he said.
Mark decried the continued mismanagement of the funds which accrued to the oil producing communities by a “few criminally minded individuals’’.
He said that Nigerians were disturbed that the level of development in the oil producing communities had failed to reflect the huge allocations given to those areas.
Mark added that such mismanagement had fuelled the suspicion expressed by some senators on the practicability of the 10 per cent host community fund, proposed in the bill.
“The background to it is that the monies accruing to the Niger Delta has not been properly utilised and that is the underlining fear of everybody.
“Everybody that spoke here agreed that the host community needed to benefit.
“The fear is whether the 10 per cent (proposed) for the host communities (in the bill) will be another pipeline where a few characters will hijack it at the expense of the host community.’’
The Senate president rejected suggestions at the floor of the senate, that an ad-hoc committee be constituted to consider contentious areas in the bill.
He said that the Senate standing committees were sufficient enough to handle all matters relating to the bill.
Mark, however, cautioned that some provisions in the bill were “impracticable”.
For instance, he said: “How can you suggest that this bill should be exempted from the Procurement Act?
“It is scandalous. The Procurement Act will be there.
“If the bill offends it or if an operator of this bill when it becomes an Act, offends the Procurement Act, it offends an Act of the National Assembly.
“It is not Act of an individual it is an Act of the National Assembly,” he said.
The Senate, however, referred the bill to the committees on Petroleum (Upstream and Downstream), Gas and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, with a period of six weeks to organise public hearings and report back to the entire House.
The Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) has Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa Central) as chairman; Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) has Senator Magnus Abe (PDP-Rivers South East) as chairman; Committee on Gas has Senator Nkechi Justina Nwaogu (PDP-Abia Central) as chairman; while the Chairman, Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters is Senator Umaru Dahiru (PDP-Sokoto South).
News
PDP Opobo/Nkoro Hails Fubara On Peace, Projects
Stakeholders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Opobo/ Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State have commended the state Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for his disposition that has fostered peace in the State.
Rising from an expanded stakeholders meeting last Saturday in Opobo Town, the body in an eight-point communique signed by its Chairman, Hon. Benneth Daminabo, Chairman of Council, Rt. Hon. Enyiada Cookey-Gam and LG party Chairman, Warisenibo Godwin Pepple commended the governor for linking Opobo/Nkoro LGA to the national grid.
In addition, it lauded the effort of the governor in pursuing the 50.15 kilometre Dual Carriage Ring Road, Elelenwo internal road, Aleto-Ebubu-Eteo Road in Eleme and Andoni Road projects.
Despite the distractions, the stakeholders said they were impressed that the governor had equally done projects in health-the unveiling of Prof. Kelsey Harrison Hospital, Agric projects at Tai and Oyigbo and improving welfare of civil servants.
In their words, “members reaffirmed their unalloyed loyalty and implicit confidence in his administration.”
Condemning the unfriendly and discourteous utterances of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Tony Okocha in different fora in the State, the forum urged the duo to desist from such action in order not to heat up the polity.
The forum pledged to stand by the governor through, “thick and thin”, the stakeholders acknowledged the contributions of women, who through prayers for the government has impacted positively in the direction and posture of the governor.
Finally, the forum unanimously expressed gratitude to the Simplified Movement and other bodies that have thrown their weight behind the governor to ensure that the administration is stable and successful.
By: Kevin Nengia
News
‘Rivers People Are Now Breathing Fresh Air Under Fubara’
Aformer Caretaker Committee Chairman of Abua/Odual Local Government Council of Rivers State, Hon Elamo Arogu, says under Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the people of the State are now breathing fresh air.
Hon Arogu said Governor Fubara has given Rivers people hope, considering the impactful and people-oriented projects being carried out by his administration.
The former CTC chairman made the assertion during the Simplified Movement’s thanksgiving service and rally held in honour of Rivers State chief executive last Friday in Abua .
Arogu said under Governor Fubara, the Abua/Odual people have the confidence that the dividends of democracy will definitely get to them.
He noted that the Governor has the strong will to change the narrative in Rivers State, being the reason he is receiving massive support across the State.
“The people of Abua/Odual are strongly behind him. Our doors ate open for everyone because there is government in place to attend to the needs of the people. I believe that he will develop Abua/Odual and other Rivers council areas, hence, the massive support. This government is business- oriented and we are ready to encourage him succeed and invest in our land. The issue of a bank; road networks and other necessities of life bordering on development as demanded by the people will be considered by Governor Fubara”, he said.
He called on the opposition to team up with Governor Fubara to build a stronger, united and viable Rivers State.
He maintained that ward nine under his leadership is Simplified.
News
Rivers State University Cooperative Society Elects New Leaders
The United Port Harcourt Peoples Cooperative Investment & Credit Society Limited, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, has elected new leaders to pilot the affairs of the cooperative for the next two years.
They are Pastor Dr. Barine Aeba (President); Dr. Gift N. Nkweke (Vice-President), Dr. Kenneth Chima Adiele (General Secretary), Victor G. Banigo (Assistant General Secretary),
Rose Yeyeda Nwosu (Treasurer), Adaku Nwogu (Financial Secretary) and Stella Ereba (Public Relations Officer).
Inaugurating the new Management Committee after a keenly contested election held recently at the University Amphitheatre, the Director of Cooperatives in Rivers State, Dr. Elizabeth Chidi-Wike, congratulated the seven-member Executive for emerging winners at the election, charging them to uphold the bye laws of the Cooperative Society and hold regular congress meetings.
Dr. Chidi-Wike used the forum to commend the outgone Management Committee for reviving the Cooperative and placing it on an enviable pedestrial.
In her remarks, the Acting Registrar of the University, Mrs. Ibimonia Sotonye Harry applauded Cooperative members for keeping faith with the Cooperative Society, stressing that the goal of the society in helping members save for retirement cannot be over emphasised.
In his valedictory speech, the outgone President, Dr. Mie-Idala Jones Amachree expressed gratitude to God for the successful completion of his four-year tenure, thanking his fellow Management Committee members who gave him the needed support that transformed the Cooperative Society.
In his acceptance address, the President, Pastor (Dr.) Barine Aeba thanked the university management for providing the enabling environment for the peaceful conduct of the election, pledging that he will fulfill all his campaign promises.
A total of 165 Cooperative members participated in the electoral exercise which was conducted by an Electoral Committee led by Engr. (Dr.) Joseph D. Enoch.
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