By Our Correspondent
Flowstation Host Communities of Nigeria (FLOWHOSCON) on Sunday called on the National Assembly (NASS) to expedite action on the passage of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
The PIB is a bill to establish the legal and regulatory authorities for the Nigerian Petroleum Industry.
Speaking in Warri, Delta State on behalf of Flow Stations /Well Head Host Communities of Nigeria, Comrade Sheriff Mulade lamented that the non-passage of the bill was making mockery of the industry and the country as a whole.
Comrade Mulade who is the National President, FLOWHOSCON, said the country was losing billions of Naira in term of investment diversion to other African countries.
“We wish to call on the National Assembly (NASS) to pass the PIB now to give 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”, the FLOWHOSCON President said.
Comrade Mulade lamented that it was quite unfortunate that the bill has been with National Assembly for more than 10 years but due to politics and vested interest, it has not been passed and urged the NASS to pass the bill now.
According to him;”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. The current NASS should make history by passing the Bill now”.
“People should stop playing politics with the Bill. I must say that we do not know what is delaying the passage now that the bill has been broken into different segment. This bill is the hope of investment in the oil and gas sector, it will give sense of belonging to all Stakeholders and we therefore appeal to our legislators to pass the Bill now”, he added.
Meanwhile, the host oil Communities have called on the Federal Government to consider host communities in the re-award of the pipeline surveillance jobs and contracts
According to them, involving the host communities directly in the re-award of the pipeline surveillance jobs and contracts will end pipeline vandalism in the region and implored President Muhammadu Buhari not to leave out the host oil Communities in the deal.
