N’Delta Group Tasks Buhari On PIB

A youth group, the
Niger Delta Youth Coalition (NDYC), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to make known to Nigerians the position of his administration on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
National Coordinator of NDYC, Prince Emmanuel Ogba, who spoke to our correspondent on Friday in Port Harcourt, said the continued silence of Buhari on PIB is a source of concern to the group particularly as so much emphasis is being laid on oil and gas sector reform of the present administration.
Ogba  regretted that during the last sitting of the 7th National Assembly, Senator David Mark-led senate passed over 50 bills at a go, yet the PIB was not considered to be one of the bills for passage into law.
The NDYC boss stated that when President Umaru Ya’Adua introduced the bill, it raised hope of the people for the Niger Delta who constitute the oil-producing communities because of the benefit the bill was aimed to usher in to them but expressed worry that after Yar’Adua’s administration, there appeared to be a gang-up by what he described as invisible hands against the bill till today.
Who are actually those frustrating PIB and what are their interests and why are members of the two chambers of Assembly silent on the Bill, including representatives of the South South people in the National Assembly,” he queried.
“This obvious oppression against the oil host communities of Niger Delta is another form of oppression that should end and the best we expect from Buhari is for him to disclose openly his position on PIB and why he has not considered it expedient to reintroduce the bill to the Assembly as requested from him.” He continued.
Ogba equally urged President Buhari to publish the beneficiaries or those managing the nation’s oil blocks to enable Nigerians have a critical view of the list in view of the importance of the issue to the economy of the nation.
He said the top secrecy accorded to the issue is not in the interest of the nation.

Chris Oluoh