CISLAC commends Senate over passage of PIG bill

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By Chimezie Godfrey

#TrackNigeria: The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has commended the Senate for prioritizing the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), which enjoyed prompt action, among others, for review and passage for re-submission to the President for his assent before the end of the 8th Assembly.

In a press release made available to Newsdiaryonline Tuesday, the Executive Director (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani noted that although it was coming after a full year, the Centre was optimistic that it was better late than never.

He recalled that in response to intense campaign and advocacy by several groups in civil society, including CISLAC and her partners, the National Assembly (NASS) passed the PIGB, which was one out of the four bills drafted to provide clear legal framework to regulate the oil and gas sector to provide some certainty, transparency and accountability necessary for investments and maximization of benefit for Nigerians.

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Rafsanjani also recalled that the President had raised some concerns about some of its provisions and withheld his assent in August 2018.

He however acknowledged that intervening events, including the election delayed the process for about eight months, adding that CISLAC and her partners that advocated for the passage of the law, had indicated then that this was a set-back.

“We are therefore encouraged by the action of the Senate which we believe has re-kindled the hope that this elusive and all important law could see the light of day in the life of this administration.

“We note that the reduction of the funds to be retained by the Petroleum Regulatory Commission from 10% to 5% and the resolution of the provisions related to the Petroleum Equalization Fund, has adequately addressed the concerns raised by the president.

“This should clear the way for the president to assent to the Bill when re-submitted.

“We remind the Federal Government that the passage of this law was a campaign promise made upon election in 2015 and had been repeated over the past four years in various forms.

“Indeed by the schedule of the much publicized 7 Big Wins, it ought to have been passed since December 2016,” Rafsanjani stated.

The Executive Director said it would be unnecessary to remind the Federal Government of the monumental financial loss amounting to trillions of Naira lost in the last 20 years, exacerbating uncertainty, subsequent loss of investors’ confidence and investments with all its attendant implication to the sector Nigeria depended on for over 80% of its foreign exchange and about 92% of government earnings.

He therefore called on the House of Representatives to emulate the Senate in fast-tracking the process necessary for its completion to ensure timely re-submission to the President for assent.

Rafsanjani added that this would further assure Nigerians of NASS’s commitment to ensure that the PIGB was passed into law during this legislative session to end the 18-year wait for reforms and clear policy and legislative direction for the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.

He also urged President Buhari to upon receipt of the reviewed Bill, to assent to it without further delay.

“We call on the President, upon receipt of the reviewed Bill, to assent to it without further delay as a mark of integrity to fulfill a long standing promise to Nigerians,” adding that it would demonstrate his commitment to sanitizing the oil and gas sector.

Rafsanjani said doing that would also rid the sector of corruption as well as “silence the voices that insinuate that his refusal to assent to the PIGB is linked to the aspiration of retaining discretionary powers for the office of the Minster of Petroleum Resources, which he currently occupies, to award licenses.”

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