Senate to pass PIGB ‎in 3 weeks

The Senate announced on Wednesday that it would consider and pass the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) on 16 and 17 of May respectively.

Chairman of the Senate committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Tayo Alaosoadura, made the disclosure when Stuart Symington, United States Ambassador to Nigeria visited him and other members of the committee on Wednesday.

Alaosoadura also revealed that the aspects of the Bill that would take care of the host communities and the fiscal aspect of the industry will be passed before the end of the year.

He said: “We ought to have passed the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) today (April 25), but because of the demise of Adeleke, we decided to hold a special session in his honour.

“That was why we could not pass it. But we have already agreed that between 16 and 17 of May, the bill will be considered and passed.

“We expect that before the end of May, we would have passed the bill and send to the House of Representatives for concurrence. We will be taking two other bills on the fiscal aspect of the oil industry and that of host communities.

“We want to ensure that we pass all the bills before the end of 2017. We want to tap from the knowledge of oil producing countries that have done what we are trying to do.”

On his part, the United States Ambassador, Symington, said his country is willing to offer professional advice to the committee and the country in their efforts to sanitize the oil and gas industry.

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja