23 April 2013, Kaduna – Rep. Dakuku Peterside, the Chairman North West zone on the Public hearing on the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, said the House would pass a bill that would stand the test of time.
Dakuku (PDP-Rivers) gave this assurance at the State House, during a courtesy visit to the Governor, Alhaji Ramalan Yero, in Kaduna on Monday.
“The inputs of the people of the North West region would be reflected in the final outcome of the bill because Kaduna is strategic in the scheme of affairs of the region.
“No member of the House opposed the passage of the bill during its second reading except for some clauses.”
Dakuku explained further that the bill was aimed at conducting the business of oil and gas in Nigeria transparently.
Earlier, Yero, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mr Nuhu Audu, urged the National Assembly to hasten the passage of the bill.
He said that more publicity was required to keep Nigerians abreast with the content and details of the bill.
Yero assured of the state support for the bill, which he described as strategic to the country’s revenue earnings.
Meanwhile, the opening of the public hearing scheduled to hold today, has been shifted to Tuesday, to allow stakeholders submit their memoranda.
Dakuku, who confirmed this development, said that the shift was necessitated to give room to stakeholders to come up with their presentations.
He said that the committee had received several memoranda from stakeholders in the zone.
The hearing is expected to hold simultaneously from April 22 to April 23 in the six-geopolitical zones.
Lagos will host the South-West; Enugu, South-East; Kaduna, North-West; Ilorin, North-Central; while Gombe will host North-East public hearing on the PIB.
It would be recalled that the committee was constituted on Nov. 2012 and inaugurated by the Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal on March 13.
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