Groups Charge Buhari To Withhold Accent to Petroleum Bill

Some Civil Society organisations [CSOs] and community groups have urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to sign the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, PIGB, as passed by the National Assembly until the grey areas were addressed.

The groups raised alarm at the inherent gaps and danger in the moves to sign into law a Petroleum bill that is fraught with defects in the areas of environmental protection, Industry-standard regulation and preservation of the rights, health and livelihoods of local community members.

The Civil Societies and Community Groups from Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta and Edo States unanimously adopted a 17-point position at a Town Hall Meeting on the PIGB recently held in Port Harcourt, signed by the Head, National Advocacy, Social Action, Vivian Bellonwu-Okafor.

The Groups pointed out that the deliberate silence of the bill on the out-law of gas flaring with a definite date was not only omnious and a major set-back for the environment but also a big blow to the people of the Niger Delta.

They stated that Niger Delta has been unjustly subjected to gas intoxication through mindless gas flaring for decades since the commencement of Petroleum exploitation in Nigeria.

The groups stated that they had hoped that the lawmakers would have used the opportunity created by the Petroleum legal regimes review to put an end to decades of the deplorable practice of gas flaring that has put Nigeria for decades into Hall of environmental shame.

This they could have done by enacting clear-cut provisions for its criminalization.

They, therefore, regretted that the failure of the National Assembly to do this effectively reinforces the region’s feeling of oppression and State Injustice.

They added that such acts by State Institutions as the National Assembly and the consequent sentiments would ultimately make peace and security elusive in the region.

The Groups which railed the fragmentation of the bill further pointed out that many of the provisions of the piece-meal bill were not in tandem with best practices as obtained in the global oil and gas industry.

They posited that it was antithetical for Nigeria to seemingly be reviewing its Petroleum laws to streamline with global industry standards and at the same time be proposing legal provisions that were at variance with best standard practices.

In the proposed law (Section 4), the Nigeria Petroleum Regulatory Commission is to take over and perform role currently played by the Petroleum Inspectorate, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the PPPRA.

According to Dr Simon Amadougboha, legal expert and lead speaker at the Town Hall, “the Commission is thus saddled with functions that are at cross-purpose with each other.

“For example, Section 5(f) mandates the commission to “promote an enabling environment for investments in the Petroleum Industry” and in so doing “ensure that regulations are fair and balanced for all classes of Lessees, Licensees, permit Holders, Consumers and other Stakeholders”.

A Commission with such mandate cannot by itself turn around to (Section 5(a), “ensure strict implementation of environmental policies, laws, regulations and standards as pertains to oil and gas operations”.

They described as sad and an aberration, the rejection and deletion from the bill by the National Assembly, of all provisions that may give room for the Ministry of Environment to demand environmental compliance in the Petroleum Industry as rightly obtained in other parts of the World.

They added that NASS has by so-doing ousted the powers of the Federal Ministry of Environment over environmental issues in the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria.

The CSOs and Community Groups therefore reiterated that the President must take steps to ensure that these anomalies inherent in the bill were not allowed to stand as law in order to safeguard the lives and rights of the people of the region and its precarious environment.

They also want proper regulatory standards and best practices in Nigeria’s Petroleum sector entrenched to see to it that the Country sustainably harnesses the benefits of the Petroleum natural resource for its lasting growth and development.

Other signatories to the communique are:

1) Damian Gbogbara: Youth And Environment Advocacy Centre, Port Harcourt.

2) Dr E.O. Ehirim: Rivers State University.

3) Enefaa Georgewill: United Action for Democracy, UAD, Rivers State.

4) Cadmus Atake; Health of Mother Earth, HOMEF Benin, Edo State.

5) Dr Oyibo Charls: Nigeria Environmental Society, N.E.S.

6) Omatsone Tosan: Nat. Asso of Itsekiri Graduates, Delta State.

7) Ozegbe Marcus: Foundation for the Conservation of Earth.

8) Philip Kalio: Support Initiative for Sustainable Development.

9) Dr Simon Amaduobogha: Dougam Law firm, Port Harcourt.

10) Medidin Egbo: CEDEN, Port Harcourt.

11) Eyak Nsikan: Mbono Mkparawa Ibibio, Akwaibom Sate.

12) Dr Elias Courson: Center for Resource Governance, Peace & Dev GREGOPED

13) Dr Anthony Chovwen: Living Earth, Nigeria.

14) Apuari Sny: Common Ground.

15) Franklin Nelson: Community Resource Dev. Foundation.

16) Michael Gbarale: Rainbow Watch & Dev. Centre.

17) Keziah Cliford: Environmental Rights Action, ERA.

18) Emmanuel.S. Jaja: Green Relief Foundation.

19) Sagbodje Bridget: Urhobo Progressive Union.

20) Letam Noble: Youth and Environment Center.

21) Amadi N.D: Adanti Isiokpo.

22) Mwara Goteh Yusuf: Advocacy for Grassroot Development.

23) Omaneyin Collins: Association for Non-Violence Peace Ambassadors, Niger Delta.