Lawmaker calls for quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill

A House of Representatives member, Mr Daniel Reyeneju, has urged his colleagues at the National Assembly to ensure quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in the current session.

Reyeneju, who represents Warri South/Warri South-West constituency, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

He expressed concern over the long delay in the passage of the bill, said that bill, if passed, would address current fuel crisis in the country.

“This is almost one year gone in this administration and by next year we will be politically jostling again.

“And, the moment you go into political jostling in Nigeria, you lose some good time of parliamentary works, even that of the executive.

“What I expected the 8th Assembly to have done is to bring the PIB again and go under order 12 on bills from preceding assembly and then pass it to the committee of the whole for hearing,” he said.

Reyenieju decried that the delay of the PIB could be as a result of some forces who would not want it to be passed.

“I got some information from the government, I mean, the executive that they are trying as much as possible to unbundle the PIB itself.

“We have come a long way with the PIB; this is the 12th year of the PIB in the parliament and almost about 16 years of the PIB in Nigerian domain and public discourse.

“I am yet to find out which of the renowned consultants in the nation’s petroleum industry that has not made one or two contributions to the PIB in the past.

“In as much as we are waiting to see a striking difference from the consultants from the ministry, I want them to be quick about it so that we can see what they have put together.

“What I am saying in essence is that we need the PIB in whatever form, whether it is going to be unbundled, we are waiting for it,” he said.