The Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, on Wednesday, June 4, lamented that the non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB by the National Assembly is making the country loose trillions of naira.
The Vice Chairman of NLC Comrade Issa Aremu said this at an interactive workshop on the PIB organized by the Unite Consult Limited in Abuja. He said it is the hope of the NLC that the leadership of the National Assembly rise to the occasion and pass the bill. Aremu said, “It is a scandal that the 12th largest producer of oil in the world is still operating an obsolete law of 1969.”
While speaking further, he said, “I don’t think the Chairman of the House on Petroleum Resources (downstream) will want us to picket them before they pass the bill”.
During his speech at the event, Honorable Dakuku Peterside, the Chairman, House of Representatives on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) maintained that, “For sometime now, there is so much emphasis on PIB. The impression we have is that, if the National Assembly passes the PIB today, the problems in our oil and gas industry will be solved. Is it true?” he asked.
Continuing he said, “PIB is very important, but it will not solve our problem. It is likely that the PIB will not eliminate corruption in oil and gas sector”.
The chairman said PIB is one piece of legislation that seeks to consolidate all legislation in oil and gas sector. He also tasked Nigerians to support the National Assembly to pass the PIB that would stand the test of time.
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