Oil Communities Caution N/Assembly Over PIB

The Rivers State Chapter
of the Oil and Gas Host Communities in Nigeria says Nigeria would face the worst economic crisis if the National Assembly insist on removing the 10 per cent host community fund from the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) now before it.
The chapter chairman, Sir Appolos Amadi gave the warning in a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt.
According to him, any attempt to remove oil communities fund from the bill would retard Nigeria’s progress in term of oil and gas economy development. Sir Amadi who noted the effect of oil exploration to the oil communities, cautioned the federal government against tampering with provisions of the bill as that would fuel more crises and vandalisation in the Niger Delta.
Amadi urged multi-national companies to have direct dealing with leaders of oil bearing communities, blaming insecurity and vandalisation in those communities to improper agreement between oil companies and host communities.
The chairman accused Federal Government and oil companies for the crises in some oil communities in state, saying the neither government nor companies have regards for memorandum of understanding in terms of employment and spillages in the oil communities in Nigeria.
He called on government to create an enabling business environment for investors, noting that most of the companies have since stopped operations in the state because of insecurity in the community, particularly the Niger Delta region.
Amadi restated, the Association’s commitment to join efforts with governments and companies to bring vandalisation of pipeline to an end.

Enoch Epelle