Oil-producing communities decry delay in PIB passage

The delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has been described as the major challenge facing communities producing oil and gas.

Chairman of the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCOM), Delta State chapter, Evangelist Gabriel Isibeluo, stated this on Tuesday when he led members of the chapter on a condolence visit to the palace of the Olu of Warri, to condole with the Itsekiri nation over the death of their monarch, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli.

According to him, the communities are optimistic that the PIB will be passed on or before the end of this June as promised by the federal lawmakers.

“As members of the host communities, our expectations from the government are very high. But government too has the problem of paucity of funds. That affects the relationship as to what they are supposed to do.

Read Also: PIB to be passed this month, says Lawan“Our major challenge as at today is, without the passage of the PIB, we cannot get it right. We envisage that, like the National Assembly has promised, before the end of this month that the PIB should be passed.

“Once it is passed, it will change the narrative as per the relation among the oil companies and the host communities and what should be obtainable.

“That also will bring about the release of the gas flare penalty. And you know what over N200 billion can do to the region. It is not money meant to be shared but it is meant for remediation projects,” Evangelist Isibeluo said.

While condoling with the people of Iwereland, the HOSCOM Chairman described the late monarch as a “father,” asking “on behalf of the national, state executive members and the entire six ethnic nationalities to pay our last respect to our father.”

The regent of Warri Kingdom, Prince Emmanuel Okotie-Eboh, expressed hope that the relationship between the kingdom and the HOSCOM would continue.