PIB: Southern governors will take action on percentage approved for host communities – Gov. Udom
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has said as both upper and lower houses of the National Assembly have performed their duties in the percentage allotted for host communities as approved in the Petroleum Industry Bill, the Southern Governors and the host communities will equally carry out theirs.
The governor, who made this known to journalists in Minna, noted that the position of the southern state governors on the matter is clear as it affects the host communities.
According to him, “the Southern Governors are saying that, how can you not give the communities at least 5 percent, we are not asking for too much. They (National Assembly) insisted on 3 percent. Well, we can not say anything, we have spoken as a body and we will see how it goes.”
It should be recalled that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which will govern the operations of the oil industry in Nigeria was passed by both houses of the national assembly on 2nd of July, 2021.
He explained, “on the controversy about the petroleum bill, we have made our position known as Southern Governors, the National Assembly may have passed their bill, they are performing their own duties, we will also perform our own. And so, I don’t want to talk more than that.
“It is one thing to say these things but people do not really understand the impact, I don’t think it’s fair to just say only 3 percent to the host communities. Our fishermen can no longer earn a living because of oil spillage, no more farmlands. People need to see the devastating effect on these communities and it’s not so much to say out of the profit of the NPC to just give these people 5 percent.
“I don’t think they are asking for too much, but if in the wisdom of the National Assembly they say they want to pass 3 percent, who are we? We can not take away their functions, they are performing their functions, and so we will also perform our own. Every person has his own functions to play, the communities have their own functions to play. The National Assembly is playing their own role.”
However, Emmanuel, who did not disclose the functions they (governors) will be performing, stated “at the end of the day I wish the very best for our nation.”
It would be recalled that following the action of the National Assembly to retain the three per cent proposed for host communities in the harmonized PIB, over the weekend, the Ijaw National Congress declared that it will not be able to guarantee peace in the Niger Delta over the decision.
This is also followed by Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People that warned that the PIB had the capacity to generate conflict with host communities, and called on President Muhammadu Buhari, not to sign it into law.
