Host communities laud NASS for passage of PIB

Flowstation Host Communities of Nigeria (FLOWHOSCON) has lauded members of the National Assembly (NASS) for the passage of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

It will be recalled that the Senate, on Thursday, broke the nearly 10-year jinx to pass an aspect of the modified bill.

The PIB, later modified into Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), is a bill initiated in 2008 to establish the legal and regulatory authorities for the Nigerian petroleum industry.

The eight Senate had broken the bill into two components with the one passed on Thursday bordering on the governance aspect.

The second aspect borders on host communities fund and fiscal aspect of the bill which is said to be at the First Reading stage at the Senate.

Reacting to the passage of the PIB on behalf of Flow Stations /Well Head Host Communities of Nigeria in Warri, Delta State, Comrade Sheriff Mulade described it as a welcome development.

“We wish to commend the National Assembly (NASS) for the passage of the PIB.

This is a welcome development and its passage now will give a sense of belonging to all stakeholders in the industry.

The industry definitely needs PIB to give it a framework for stakeholders  who play in oil and gas industry,” he noted.

Mulade described as unfortunate the initial delay in the passage of the  bill due to alleged dirty  politics and vested interests.

While lauding  the NASS for finally passing the bill, Comrade Mulade, who’s the chairman of Kokodiagbene Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, said President Muhammadu Buhari should should not delay in signing the bill into law.

“The bill has been in the works for over a decade and has been redrafted several times but was never passed by the previous Assemblies.

But we thank the current NASS for making history.

“For too long, people  played politics with the Bill and it was even  broken into different segment.

We are so excited today that it has been passed finally into Law and President Muhammadu Buhari should not waste time in assenting to it because this  bill is the hope of investment in the oil and gas sector.

It will give a sense of belonging to all stakeholders and  we therefore commend  our legislators for passing the bill,” he added.