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Passage Of PIGB Excites Rivers Stakeholders
The passage of the first lap of the much-awaited Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), last Thursday by the Senate has been described as an exciting development by some stakeholders who spoke on the issue, yesterday, in Port Harcourt.
Youth of oil-rich Niger Delta region said the passage has proved that the present Senate, unlike the previous ones, consider the interest of Nigerians.
Speaking under the umbrella of the Niger Delta Youth Coalition (NDYC), the youth said, “though the action of the Upper Chambers has been long awaited”, but added that this will speed up chains of positive actions by players in the petroleum industry.
National Co-ordinator, NDYC, Prince Emmanuel Ogba, commended the Dr Bukola Saraki-led Senate for its action, and appealed to the House of Representatives to compliment the Senate by also passing the bill, just as he urged the National Assembly to speed up the passage of the next aspects of the bill.
Also speaking, the Executive Director, Foundation for the Conservation of the Earth (FOCONE), Patrick Chiekwe, said the passage of the bill would give legal impetus to issues of environmental degradation caused by oil spill.
Chiekwe lauded the Senate, and noted that the delay in the passage of the bill had negatively affected the socio-economic life of the people in oil producing communities.
The executive director said oil producing communities which had suffered so much as a result of pollution and marginalization in the petroleum sector were eager to see the passage of other aspects of the bill, particularly the lap that would address the issue of 10 per cent equity share for oil producing communities.
Speaking in similar manner, a public affairs analyst, Mr. Bon Obilor said, “at least, we can see some positive changes. We can see progress and signs that those in the National Assembly are feeling the pulse of the people”.
He said the delay in the passage of the bill has held back so much investments, which investors had moved to other African nations.
“Petroleum is the life-wire of the nation; so, one had expected that such a legal framework would have been treated as a mark of urgency and priority. But unfortunately, it had to be delayed for over a decade because of misguided interest”, he said, and commended the Bukola-led Senate for making a change.
Meanwhile, the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), was finally passed last Thursday, during plenary by the Senate, 12 years after its introduction as the ‘Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
The passage followed the final consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate’s Joint Committee on Petroleum, Upstream, Downstream and Gas
The bill, which was introduced by Sen. Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central) in the Eight Senate, to establish a legal framework for the creation of a more efficient, transparent, competitive and internationalized petroleum industry.
The PIGB also seeks to create a conducive business environment for the operations of the petroleum industry and overhaul the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The passage of the bill remains a landmark achievement of the Eight Senate as the lawmakers broke the jinx that many believed had beset the National Assembly’s efforts to reform the oil industry.
The bill has been a very controversial one with allegations of the resolve of some stakeholders who felt the bill, when signed into law, will negatively affect their corrupt businesses, fighting headlong against its passage.
The Seventh Senate under the leadership of Senator David Mark, almost recorded successful passage of the bill, but controversies over multiple or different versions of the bill marred the progress and scuttled ascent of former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, to the bill.
According to industry analysts, Nigeria has, over the past eight years, lost over $120 billion in withheld or diverted investment due to the inability to pass the PIGB.
President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who presided over the plenary, congratulated the senators for resisting all forces that worked against the bill for years, and finally passed it.
His words: “Senate’s action today culminates some 12 long years of legislative attempts to reform the petroleum sector. Now, we are a step closer to bringing better governance and transparency to Nigeria’s most important economic sector.
“Now, there is no question that the political will exists to reform the petroleum industry. The passage of the PIGB will go a long way to restore investor confidence in a sector that has great potential to be more efficient and competitive on the world petroleum market,” he said.
Saraki noted that when the PIGB is finally enforced, Nigerians would enjoy more impact of the oil resources.
“The importance and impact of this bill can never be overstated. Nigerians are ever closer to reaping the full benefits of our nation’s natural wealth.
“This means there will be greater revenue for government to invest in economic diversification, job creation, hospitals, schools and roads,” he said
It would be recalled that the House of Representatives recently completed the second reading of the PIGB, with its leadership indicating their intent to move the bill through the legislative process as efficiently as they can.
Chris Oluoh & Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.