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Senate to pass PIB before year end, goes on 8-week recess
BY NICHOLAS ABE
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, is optimistic the elusive Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) will be passed before the end of this year.
He has therefore urged the relevant senate committees on petroleum to use the period of eight weeks recess to engage the Executive arm of government to clear out established grey areas so as to make the process of passing the bill easy when the senate reconvenes September 15.
Lawan made the announcement after approving the votes and proceedings for Thursday plenary session and adjourned sitting until September 15 to enable members enjoy their annual eight-week vacation. He, however, said the various committees will be working during vacation
The Senate President urged the relevant committees on Petroleum (Upstream and Downstream); and Gas to engage the Executive arm of Government, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Department of Petroleum Resources, on the Petroleum Industry Bill to be submitted to the National Assembly.
He added that such engagement between both arms of government would reduce the time needed to carry out legislative work on the bill when it is finally sent to the Legislature for consideration and passage.
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He said, “I urge that our oil and gas committees continue to engage with the Executive arm of Government, particularly the NNPC, DPR, and all the petroleum related agencies and work with them as if the bill has been presented to us, so that we reduce the time that we need to spend considering the bill when it is finally presented to us.
“It is our hope and desire that we are able to break the jinx that has visited the PIB since 2007.
“The PIB has defied passage and assent, this time around we want to work assiduously with the Executive arm of government to ensure that we pass the PIB and that the President signs it into law, because we have everything to lose if not passed this year.
“If we are able to do it, we will get more revenue into the coffers of the Federal Government, as well as attract and retain investments into the oil and gas sector in Nigeria,”