At Last National Assembly Passes Petroleum Industry Bill into Law

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13 years after the introduction of the Petroleum Industry Bill to the sixth National Assembly as an Executive Bill ,by the Late President Musa Yar’ adua , the ninth Senate and the House of Representatives have at long last passed the PIB 2001.

The Senate on Thursday passed the Bill and approved 3 per cent for the host communities while The House Committee of the Whole, on the same day considered the report of the Ad hoc Committee on PIB and passed the Bill.

The upper chamber passed the PIB, 2021 after the clause by clause consideration of the report of its joint committee on Petroleum (Upstream, Downstream and Gas) on PIB but at the House of Reps the report was laid on Wednesday by the Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno).

The Senate approved three per cent for the host communities despite protests from the South-South lawmakers, who advocated 5 per cent.

The Senate had before then, held a closed session with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari.

At The House of Reps , the 318 clauses in the bill were passed in less than 20 minutes but the passage was not without drama, as the deputy speaker, Idris Wase (APC, Plateau), did not recognise members trying to raise points of order.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan congratulated the lawmakers and said the Ninth National Assembly has achieved one of its fundamental legislative agenda.

“The demons (of PIB) have been defeated in this Chamber. We have passed the bill,” he said.

At a point, the deputy speaker of the House of Reps jumped from clause 189 to 200.

The lawmakers amended Section 240 of the bill to increase the mandatory host communities funding by oil companies.

The original bill proposed 2.5 per cent operating expenditure to fund the host communities trust fund but Following the amendment moved by Mr Monguno, the fund was increased to five per cent.

Speaking after the consideration, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, commended his colleagues for the passage, adding that the Electoral Act will be passed as soon as possible.