Nation
PIB: ‘Most Unwise Decision By NASS, Frontier For Fresh Crisis’
The Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District and former governor has described last week’s passage of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the 9th National Assembly as most unwise, saying it was a recipe for anarchy.
Speaking at a press conference with the Senate Press Corps, yesterday, he said the Niger Delta Host Communities have been short-changed, noting that the development may not guarantee peace in the region.
He said, “As you know last week, we commenced our recess and there’s a need for this interaction and I think, this is what you are going to see at the end of every session.
“I want to highlight my views and positions which I think you are all familiar on the two concluded legislative works and I feel strongly bad about these bills.
“You are aware that I led a group of Senators to leave the Chamber in order not to lend our names on legislation that is oppressive; legislation that is insensitive; legislation that doesn’t serve the nation; legislation that doesn’t address the yearning and aspirations of the people that own the oil resources of the country.
“It was the late President Umar Yar’Adua that sent the first bill to the National Assembly. That PIB work started from Obasanjo’s time.
“Under Obasanjo’s time, the late Alfred Lukman was the petroleum minister when this bill came. The bill proposed 10% for host communities’ development and 10% for frontier development.
“Unfortunately, the bill could not be passed all these years. Now we are happy that the National Assembly has been able to break that jinx or something that look like it.
“As you know, I disagree completely and most of us disagreed completely and of course, you know the history that the Senate passes 3% and the House of Representatives passes 5% and then the Conference Committee came up with 3%.
“This country isn’t helping itself; this country is not even helping investors; this is not helping host communities that will enable investors to come in and the argument is that anything above 3% the investors will not come and so what?
”If the host communities are not happy, will the investors come? If the host communities do not have stakes in oil exploration and exploitation will there be peace? Not only that investors will not come but those who are already here will leave.
”Senate did not take a wise decision because you are not dealing with one community, we are dealing with hundreds of communities. Don’t forget that now that even transit communities have a stake. I know why some people are arguing that some pipeline transit communities should be part of it, because if you exclude pipeline communities, they can sabotage entire operations.
“It’s not a question of percentage; it’s a question of proper discretion at the level of management. It requires a lot of thinking, a lot of skill in the management of host communities.
“The host communities know and the world knows that 10% equity development fund was proposed for them and no one is engaging them and no one is explaining anything to them.”
The lawmaker said he walked out of the presidential dinner with some senators who were angry despite persuasion from the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3
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