PIB: MOSIENND Urges Lobbying For Host Communities 

The Movement for the Survival of Ijaw Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIENND) has called on all the state governors and opinion leaders in the region to take advantage of the period left for the ascent of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), to lobby President Muhammadu  Buhari for possible increase of the three percent for host communities to at least five percent.
MOSIENND president, Kennedy West, who disclosed this while interacting with journalists on the recent passage of the bill, in Port Harcourt, recently said it was not too late for the governors of the region to approach the president.
“You don’t give up, it is time for the Niger Delta people to come together to lobby the president and something could still happen.
“There is no point giving up at this time, until it gets to the final stage. I believe that amendment can be made to that three percent before the president signs the bill into law.
“Through the lobbying, the President can raise the bar from three percent to at least five percent, even if it will be a parting gift, because his government is almost coming to an end.
“It will also be in the annal of history that he singlehandedly added three percent to the oil revenue for the development of the host communities”, West stated.
The MOSIENND leader, however, posited that if the president failed to consider the increase, the Niger Delta people should think on how the three percent could be implemented and funds judiciously used. 
According to him, if the funds are judiciously used, the referral could be made as to what the funds was being used for.
West also called for the reorientation of the people in the region, stressing that the community leaders and royal fathers should be steadfast in their leadership role. 
He also called on the governments in the region not to interfere in the community affairs, as well as urged those that will implement the community development plan to be very transparent.

By: Corlins Walter