The disclosure by the Chairman,
House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed, that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has been received by the House and may soon be passed into law, instead of receiving applause from Nigerians, has rather sparked off serious reactions as more persons say, the bill has for long been coming to reality.
A businessman in Port Harcourt, Mrs Grace Fedman said, “it is quite unfortunate that such a bill which should hold promises to the people especially oil-producing communities was being frustrated by a group of people elected to protect the people’s interest.
Fedman who is the Managing Director of Ebes Oil Limited said, the delay for years, of the bill to be passed into law is a clear  proof  some people are group of cabal against it.
“We hear that a strong cabal is frustrating the bill, and this cabal includes the powerful multinationals who have strong control of the oil sector”, she said and challenged the National Assembly to accelerate the bill’s passage without further delay if at all they are there for Nigerians.
Another oil marketer who pleaded anonymity described the PIB as the nucleus of the local content development policy and appealed to the president to ensure its speedy passage.
“We have been hearing that PIB will soon be passed after some years and that is no longer news.  All we want to hear is that the bill has been passed,”  she maintained, adding that nothing would add strong and credible teeth to the essence of Nigerian content than the implementation of such an all-important bill.
A petroleum engineer, Chidi Amaefule in his own reaction said, “I have since lost confidence in the bill.  The years  of delay tells me that those in charge were not only uncomfortable with the vision of the PIB but were doing everything possible to kill it.
Amaefule stated that, “I will not be surprised if at last, the National Assembly comes up with a law that is so watered down that the bill will lose all its steam and importance to the people”.
Reacting to the allegation of cash-for-passage by some unseen hands, Hon Zakari said, “We don’t give credence to rumours.  The PIB is a very sensitive legislation.  A number of issues have come up with political and zonal connotations, there are no unseen hands stalling the presentation of the PIB report”.
The House Committee Chairman who announced Thursday that the Bill is ready and would soon be presented remarked, “The PIB is ready and it is just a matter of presentation.  The bill will change the workings of Nigeria’s oil and gas and also generate employment.”
But the National Assembly which has for years received the PIB has for inexplicable reasons been holding back the proposal to Nigerians consternation.

Chris Oluoh