25 April 2013, Kaduna — TWO northern governors, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State and Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State, yesterday, rejected the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, saying it would make their states poorer.
Kwankwaso told members of the Adhoc Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill, North West zonal public hearing held in Kaduna, that the people of Kano State opposed the bill in its entirety.
“The decision to kick against the bill came after due consultation with stakeholders and the ordinary citizens of Kano State. Northern legislators must not to be bought over like during the case of the offshore/onshore debate in 2002. The people of Kano State will not be deceived to endorse the Petroleum Industry Bill. The South South region has a Federal Ministry; it has 13 per cent derivation; it has an amnesty programme as well as Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, against other parts of the country,” Governor Kwankwaso said.
Governor Yero on the other hand said the term “host communities” would amount to creating a fourth tier of government – federal, states, local and community governments.
Governor Yero who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Ministry of Justice, Hajia Hauwa Dalhatu noted that the oil producing states have the Niger Delta Development Commission and Ministry of Niger Delta, in addition to an autonomous amnesty programme to cater to the needs of restive youths and militants.
“To create a host communities fund therefore, will not only be tantamount to creating a fourth tier of government, but also making provisions that will further alienate other parts of the country economically. The term host communities as used in the bill is nebulous,” the Kaduna state governor’s representative pointed out.
