Mkpoikana Udoma 27 July 2016, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – The Senate has expressed worry over Federal Government’s delay in submitting the Petroleum Industrial Bill, PIB, to the 8th Assembly.
This was made known by a Senate delegation which visited Belema Oil Producing Limited’s facilities at Robert-kiri, Kula in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the Rivers State.
The delegation, led by Sen. Barau Jibrin, expressed displeasure over the continued delay by the Executive arm of government in submitting the PIB to the Senate for consideration and passage.
According to him, “The PIB was not introduced in this very Senate. It was introduced in the Senate in the 7th Assembly and as we speak, the executive arm of government has not brought the PIB to us.”
Sen. Jibrin further stated that although the Federal Government has not submitted anything to the senate yet, the legislative body was working put on PIB plans for the nation.
“But we have initiated a PIB because of the concern that the current Senate has for the petroleum industry, which is the backbone of our economy. We are working hard and as soon as possible and as time allows, we are going to get the bill and get it passed.
“We are really concerned about the problem we are having in the petroleum sector. You are all aware that the projection of this year’s budget in respect of production of crude oil captured 2.2 million barrel per day, but, as we speak, we are having lower production which is not good for the economy,” he said.
