‘Pass PIB In National Interest’

The passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and subsequent implementation would help ameliorate the long sufferings of the oil producing communities which have been abandoned by the federal government and oil companies for over a half century.

The Founder of the Abundant Life Evangel Mission (ALEM),Apostle Eugene Ogu who stated this on Monday while reacting to Senator Buka Abba Ibrahim who revealed reasons the Northern Senators were opposed to the passage of the controversial bill said it would amount to insensitivity on the part of government if they decide to play politics with it.

The Tide gathered that Senator Abba Ibrahim was reported to have said that the North was opposed to the passage of the bill because it will financially empower the south south region much more than other parts of the country.

Ogu who is also the National security officer of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and Christian Asssocition of Nigeria said the bill should be passed as a restitution to atone for the poor leadership and other forms of bad governance that Nigerians have been exposed to over the years..

According to him,”The PIB should be passed as Nigeria’s deliberate restitution to the deprivation of the oil producing communities which have sustained this country through the enormous wealth God has given to them.

“It will amount to insensitivity for anybody to deny the oil communities their right to the content of that bill. The Nigerian government must ensure that the bill is not just passed but is passed speedily to satisfy the yearnings of those deprived and neglected communities”, Ogu said.

He argued that the authorities should know that the youths from the oil producing areas are aware of what they have contributed to the general wellbeing of Nigeria which has left their environment degraded and their sources of water contaminated.

The Clergy urged the state government to establish an independent body that would be responsible for the utilization of the funds that shall accrue from the bill to the extent that it would be managed in a way that will enhance the development of the communities.