PIB is dead in NASS -Senator Enang
•Says Bankole, Nafada not guilty of graft
From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja
Monday, November 28, 2011
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Hopes of passing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in the National Assembly waned over the weekend, as there is no document before the federal legislature for consideration.

The PIB forwarded to the Senate by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2008 lapsed with the Sixth National Assembly on June 5, 2011, it was learnt.
The Presidency may have to re-introduce the Bill to the Seventh National Assembly.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Solomon Ita Enang said this in an interview in Abuja at the weekend. His words: “There is no Petroleum Industry Bill in the National Assembly and in particular, in the Senate because, that Bill was introduced during the Sixth National Assembly and it lapsed with the Sixth Assembly.”

Enang offers more explanations: “The Senate is inaugurated for a period of four years. At the end of the four years, the Senate stands dissolved and any thing that is pending stands dead unless it is re-introduced.”

“Therefore, if the President wants it, he has to send a letter, re-introducing it. The President has to send a covering letter, which he will attach to the Bill he wants because on the Bill that was earlier sent, there may be need for adjustments and some alterations, after all, they did some public hearings on the Bill. They would have known areas which will not fly.”

Enang, a three-term member of the House of Representatives, defended former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and his deputy, insisting that they did not abuse their offices as alleged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“I still visit Bankole, I exchange calls with him, I speak with Nafada, I visit him. They are my friends. If they are in trouble today, none of them took the money to buy okporoko (stock fish) to eat.” Senator Enang reiterated that Bankole and Nafada were being made to answer for a collective decision taken by the House under their leadership.”

Petroleum Industry Bill faces fresh hurdles Featured
Written by Agency Reporter


The controversy surrounding the non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill is continuing as both chambers of the National Assembly give conflicting signals about the proposed legislation, STANLEY OPARA writes



Confusion as enveloped the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, which has suffered many setbacks in the last two years, as the Senate revealed that the Executive arm of government hadnot re-presented it for consideration.

On the other hand, the House of Representatives is currently considering a version of the proposed law being sponsored by a member, contrary to expectations that the Federal Government will re-present the harmonised version for consideration by lawmakers in both chambers of the legislature.

Despite pressure on the lawmakers in the sixth National Assembly by stakeholders for the passage of the PIB, the draft law could not clear the hurdle as a result of what some said was the cacophony of interests from different quarters, leading to the presence of varied versions of the proposed legislation.

By the rule of the National Assembly, if lawmakers are unable to finish work and pass any bill in the life of a particular legislative assembly, such bill has to be re-presented and considered afresh by the succeeding legislature.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Downstream, Senator Magnus Abbe, told our correspondent on the telephone on Friday, “As far as I know, there is no PIB before the Senate. It has not been re-presented to the seventh Senate.”

Abbe could not, however, confirm if the Senate had met with the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to resolve the problem of the availability of multiple versions of the bill, but said, “Even if we meet the minister and resolve this, the bill must be officially re-presented to the seventh Senate.”

He said the Executive might have thought that there was no need to present the bill afresh to the National Assembly, insisting that such a position would be erroneous and out of place.

Abbe said the treatment given to the PIB by the seventh Senate was not an isolated one, as it had taken the same position on other bills that were not passed by its predecessor.

On the other hand, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Oil and Gas, Mr. Bassey Ewa, told our correspondent on the telephone that the PIB was currently being sponsored by a member of the House and had passed first reading at the lower legislative chamber.

“We cannot have timeline for the passage of the bill. It depends on the sponsor of the bill. If he is prepared to take the second reading, it will be passed to the relevant committee,” he said.

Ewa said the other versions of the bill were currently not in the House, as the one being considered was a private member bill.

He said the PIB remained a necessary legislation for the country because it would put in place modalities for taking care of issues surrounding the refineries, investments in the oil and gas sector, and supply of petroleum products nationwide.

Ewa had said in September that the bill was not with the House because the immediate past Assembly did not take the third reading before the end of its tenure.

“Technically speaking, there is a PIB before us, but realistically speaking, it is not before the House. Now, it will have to go through the first, second and third readings before the final passage,” he had said then.

Ewa, however, assured Nigerians that immediately the House committees were inaugurated, the PIB was one of the bills that would be immediately deliberated upon.

Because of issues like deregulation of the oil and gas sector, among others, he said the House had no choice but to expedite action on the passage of the bill.

In a bid to ensure quality law for the sector, Ewa said the House would involve all stakeholders with a view to getting their contributions.

According to him, the quick passage of the PIB means a lot to the legislators owing to expectations that the proposed law has the capacity to ensure the rehabilitation of the refineries and local refining of petroleum products.

This, he noted, would aid employment generation, among other economic benefits that would accrue to Nigeria.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas Resources, Mrs. Nkechi Nwaogu, had recently told our correspondent that an updated version of the PIB was being expected from the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

Nwaogu had stated that with the incorporation of the Clause 111 rule in the Constitution, the PIB, like other bills that could not be passed into law by the sixth Assembly would have to be reconsidered afresh.

According to her, the clause makes it imperative that “left over bills” in the last National Assembly are to be treated afresh by the new legislature.

She admitted that the non-passage of the bill had affected exploration for oil and gas in the country, building of new refineries and maintenance of existing ones as a result of uncertainly in the industry.

The country, she explained, needed fresh investments in the industry, which the PIB when finally passed into law, would effectively address.

According to the senator, most intending foreign investments in the sector are currently on hold because investors are earnestly waiting for the outcome of the PIB.

“We are aware of all these and we will expedite action on the bill. The consideration will start soon,” Nwaogu had assured.

[b]The PIB is one, if not the most important legislation in Nigeria’s history. It is also the first and only bold attempt to reform the country’s oil and gas sector in fundamental ways since the commencement of exploration activities five decades ago.

The bill was proposed by the Executive arm of government with the intent to reform the sector in line with modern global realities.

It is widely believed that Nigeria’s oil industry lags behind those of its peers in Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia in terms of its functioning, structure, competitiveness, benefits and value creation for citizens.

Broadly, the proposed reforms have been designed to enhance exploration and exploitation of petroleum resources, and to promote production for the benefit of Nigerians; significantly increase domestic gas supplies, especially for power generation and industrial development; and create a peaceful business environment that enables petroleum operations.

It is also aimed at establishing a fiscal framework that is flexible, stable, progressive and competitively attractive; and creating a commercially viable national oil company with effective Joint Venture arrangements.

The PIB is also meant to deregulate petroleum products pricing; create efficient regulatory entities; engender transparency and accountability; and promote Nigerian content through active citizen participation, among others.[/b]

ekt_bear:

naija is a very depressing country

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Solomon Ita Enang said this in an interview in Abuja at the weekend. His words: “There is no Petroleum Industry Bill in the National Assembly and in particular, in the Senate because, that Bill was introduced during the Sixth National Assembly and it lapsed with the Sixth Assembly.”

Enang offers more explanations: “The Senate is inaugurated for a period of four years. At the end of the four years, the Senate stands dissolved and any thing that is pending stands dead unless it is re-introduced.”

jmaine:

So it's now a PDP NASS init . . .even the house of reps with a strong non - PDP members are still exempted from the crass neglect of the bill

What is Enang saying . .so the hullabaloo of an amendment of the National assembly act designed to cater for continuity in operations in transiting assemblies is non - existent or what . .

What about the resolve of the Northern caucus to kill the bill due to the perceived non favorable nature of the bill . . .

PointB:

^^^^
Is ACN not part of the NASS? What have they done on their on part?

Keep shedding crocodile tears.

Beaf:

They supported Tambuwal, Bankole's partner in crime. It really is crocodile tears from vipers.
As you can see, Enang that Gbawe is proudly quoting like he is Jesus, is a Bankole lover who is vouching for that thiefs innocence. By their friends, ye shall know them.

Dis Guy:

Yea Yea Nairaland Hobby - blame the Northerners!!

North’ll kill Petroleum Industrial Bill-ex-minority leader
From DESMOND MGBOH, Kano
Thursday, June 23, 2011

More Stories on This Section


[size=16pt]A member of the Federal House of Representatives and former Minority Leader, Hon Kawu Sumaila has said that the North will do everything possible to kill the Petroleum Industrial Bill currently before the National Assembly, adding that the content of the Bill will reduce the Northern Region of Nigeria to a state of perpetual slavery to the rest of the country.[/size]

Kawu, who stated this, on Wednesday, [size=14pt]during the reception of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) National Chairman, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, maintained that the Petroleum Industrial Bill is ‘discriminatory and lopsided and is aimed at reducing the North to its knees’.
[/size]
He noted that, “we organized a special research on the Bill and to our utter dismay; we discovered that if the Bill becomes law, a litre of petrol can sell for about N350 in the North while the same litre will go for N30 in a state like Bayelsa State. It means we would not be able to survive, we will not be able to settle two-third of our wage bills in the North’.

The member of parliament added that ‘This is a conscious effort to relegate a certain section of the country to perpetual slavery, [size=18pt]and we have equally resolved to spill our blood to kill the Petroleum Industrial Bill for the sake of the unborn generations of the North’[/size]. Kawu who spoke to his audience in Hausa language was cheered by stalwarts of his party. He assured that the bill would never come to being, “except there is no Nigeria.”

He maintained that the current leadership of the House were being persecuted for standing up against such ‘divisive policy of the Federal Government’, adding that no amount of such intimidation would bring them to submission. Hon. Kawu hinted that already there were plans to mobilize people who share similar philosophy across the geographical spread of the country to kill the bill in the collective interest of Nigeria.

jmaine:

Bros quench your ignorance below : -
[/b]

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/june/23/national-23-06-2011-014.html

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-697127.0.html

Dis Guy:

yes when Ike talks he speaks for all igbos right,


Sometimes you'd think all abokis are in the NASS
Lukman that wrote the original bill is from calabar abi

if the FG can pass any bill across if its committed and not incompetent as usual
but we all know some people who will be eating under the radar in the name of lobbying
only to blame it on the northerners

Dis Guy:

yes when Ike talks he speaks for all igbos right,


Sometimes you'd think all abokis are in the NASS
Lukman that wrote the original bill is from calabar abi

if the FG can pass any bill across if its committed and not incompetent as usual
but we all know some people who will be eating under the radar in the name of lobbying
only to blame it on the northerners

PointB:

^^^^
Is ACN not part of the NASS? What have they done on their on part?

Keep shedding crocodile tears.

Gbawe:

You are such a 'suwegbe' totally blinded by bigotry. When can those in the numerical minority, as per representative legislative law making, ever get their way against those in the numerical majority , in our upper and lower legislative houses, who also happen to control the office of President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker house of rep et al? 

You are simply a blind bigot. PDP , if it wants what is best for Nigeria, has the majority (at executive and legislative level) to deliver the transformation Nigeria really needs. What bigots like you will never admit is that your "brother" is part of the scam to keep a few folks in control of the commonwealth that should belong to all Nigerians wherever they may hail from.

Gbawe:

You are such a 'suwegbe' totally blinded by bigotry. When can those in the numerical minority, as per representative legislative law making, ever get their way against those in the numerical majority , in our upper and lower legislative houses, who also happen to control the office of President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker house of rep et al? 

You are simply a blind bigot. PDP , if it wants what is best for Nigeria, has the majority (at executive and legislative level) to deliver the transformation Nigeria really needs. What bigots like you will never admit is that your "brother" is part of the scam to keep a few folks in control of the commonwealth that should belong to all Nigerians wherever they may hail from.

Dis Guy:

Yea Yea Nairaland Hobby - blame the Northerners!!

Beaf:

It is hard to understand how you can say that with a straight face. You quoted one of the despicable creatures in the NASS, someone who is evidently working for the interests of Shell like his mentor, Bankole was. Your ACN had the chance to stand on the side of right with the true progressives in Nigeria and vote for Mulikat Adeola as Speaker of the House of Rep, a move that if successful would have seen the necesarry constitutional changes to better the country flying through. But who did you side with? ACN joined hands with Babangida to foist Bankole's co-conspirator and an enemy of progress, Tambuwal on the country.

At the time ACN joined hands with Babangida, did they not realise that their treachery would lead to the country being held back? can you provide a single reason why[b] ACN sided with IBB to position a known thief against GEJ's progressive and highly principled choice of Mulikat Adeola? [/b]Now you are here crying fake tears at what your treachery helped to instal and to make matters worse, you are disgracefully quoting an enemy of the country in Senator Enang like it is gospel; rather than rallying that we fight him down.
Everyone can see the pattern that is emerging, damage the nations path to progress at night, then blame GEJ in the morning.

Anyways, there are few surprises there, you regularly quote from highly unprincipled sources like Sahara Reporters and Osun Defender in a desperate bid to sling mud. We are still awaiting the day you will begin quoting from Ovation magazine.

PointB:






Just tell us what part ACN played in propping the bill or not, and cut that your stu.pidity of seeing bigotry in every comment. Not every one is like you.
What role did ACN play in the PIB bill, or jumping on the Tambuwal bandwagon is what ACN is all about? Even if ACN has a single member in the NASS, what role did that member play, that is the question.

Cut the crap and answer, Mr suwegbe!

Mumu, I will give you actual examples your dullard mind can deal with. Amosun , without noise or fanfare, wrote the Ogun legislative arm and succeeded to get the amendment that saw the salaries of public officials cut. Pro-elitist and ultra conservative leaning GEJ , without even trying, tells us that "leaner Government not possible".

What Amosun did , even if you refuse to see it, is the norm worldwide i.e leaders , especially when they have Party majority, get beneficial and important laws/bills approved. GEJ's weakness and impotence, despite the fact he is leader of the PDP and that his Party compatriot control the most influential positions, is an aberration to leadership. It simply indicates that GEJ is weak, compromised and totally disinterested in taking the bold steps that can secure the development of Nigeria.

Just tell us what part ACN played in propping the bill or not, and cut that your stu.pidity of seeing bigotry in every comment. Not every one is like you.
What role did ACN play in the PIB bill, or jumping on the Tambuwal bandwagon is what ACN is all about? Even if ACN has a single member in the NASS, what role did that member play, that is the question.

Cut the crap and answer, Mr suwegbe!

Beaf:

Lukman's input to that bill was as anti-people as it can get and wikileaks firmly backs that up. GEJ is responsible for that bill and made all the valuable inputs in it; policies that affect the petroleum sector are generated in the VP's office as required by the constitution.