…Is Unfair To Niger Delta – PANDEF
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Petroleum Industry Bill 2021 into law.
Working from home in five days quarantine as required by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 after returning from London on Friday August 13, the President assented to the bill Monday August 16, in his determination to fulfill, his constitutional duty.
The ceremonial part of the new legislation will be done on Wednesday, after the days of mandatory isolation would have been fulfilled.
The Petroleum Industry Act provides legal, governance, regulatory and fiscal framework for the Nigerian petroleum industry, the development of host communities, and related matters.
The Senate had passed the Bill on July 15, 2021, while the House of Representatives did same on July 16, thus ending a long wait since early 2000s, and notching another high for the Buhari administration.
Meanwhile, the Pan Niger Delta Forum led by Chief Edwin Clark has berated President Muhammadu Buhari, for signing the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill 2021 into law amidst outcry. The group said it is a very “sad and bad day” for the people of Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole, that despite the overwhelming agitation, the President still went ahead and signed the PIB into law.
Reports has it that President Muhammdu Buhari has assented to the petroleum industry bill.
Reacting to the development, PANDEF spokesman, Ken Robinson, on Monday, condemned the president’s decision.
Robinson said “It is very unfortunate that in spite of the outcry and the condemnation that greeted the paltry 3 per cent provided for the development of the host communities and the outrageous 30 per cent of the NNPC limited profit allocated for the exploration of oil in the frontiers, Mr President has gone ahead to endorse the bill into law.
“It is a reality that this country does not care about the feelings and hopes and aspirations of the Niger Delta people while we continue to suffer the neglect and degradation and the decimation of our environment and our ecosystem.
The livelihood of our children has been devasted and we suffer the consequences of this industry operating in our environment with an insensitive government that its agencies are not enforcing the faulty laws to protect the environment from the operations of the industry. “It is very sad, it is a bad day for the Niger Delta people”.
