Business
Unionist Tasks N’Delta On PIGB

States from the Niger Delta region have been called upon to take advantage of the divestment aspect of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB).
Making the call in Port Harcourt recently, while speaking to newsmen, the former Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers State, Comrade Chika Onuegbu, urged indigenes of the region to work toward owning shares in the petroleum industry.
According to him, Eleme communities were deriving huge dividends from Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Company as co-owners of the outfit.
“For the bill proposed that government assets in NNPC will be divested, I expect the Niger Delta people to begin routing for ownership as we have in Indorama”, he said.
He explained that Eleme was given 7.5 per cent which would enable them receive about N3 billion as dividend per annum.
Onuegbu emphasised that waiting for the host community fund, the people should intensify efforts towards taking up share from government divestment in the oil companies.
He further advised people of the region to work in partnership with other ethnic groups in the country to ensure the passage of the PIGB bill.
“I expect the Niger Delta people to come together and network along with others to ensure that their interest is protected.
“They should also work to ensure that the host community aspect of the PIGB is passed into law,” he said.
He also called for the use of Eleme Petrochemical Company model in the divestment of the NNPC.
On the passage of the PIGB bill, Onuegbu emphasized that it would impact positively on Nigerians if the institutions and agencies in the oil industry are operated efficiently.