{"id":2625,"date":"2013-04-24T12:38:12","date_gmt":"2013-04-24T12:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/kano-kaduna-yakassai-oppose-pib-want-ministers-powers-checked\/"},"modified":"2013-04-24T12:38:12","modified_gmt":"2013-04-24T12:38:12","slug":"kano-kaduna-yakassai-oppose-pib-want-ministers-powers-checked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/kano-kaduna-yakassai-oppose-pib-want-ministers-powers-checked\/","title":{"rendered":"Kano, Kaduna, Yakassai oppose PIB, want minister\u2019s powers checked"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u2022 Enugu, others seek special fund for oil communities<\/strong><\/p>\n

SOME northern elders and governors have expressed opposition to any passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which they say may further sow the seed of discord in the fragile polity.<\/p>\n

Former Political Adviser to erstwhile President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his counterpart in Kaduna, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero were among those who objected to the passage of the PIB at the North West forum organised by the Adhoc Committee of the House of Representatives on PIB in Kaduna Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the move by the House of Representatives to get input of Nigerians in the contentious PIB suffered a set back in the South East zone as Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states shunned the zonal public hearing which was concluded in Enugu yesterday.<\/p>\n

In his presentation, Yakassai cautioned the oil producing states against clamouring for further oil revenue from the Federation Account through the PIB, saying such agitation is capable of disuniting the country.<\/p>\n

Yakassai who claimed that the North singlehandedly promoted the unity of Nigeria with the resources found in the region right from pre-independence period to Civil War era, argued that those agitating for the passage of the PIB \u201cshould be their brothers\u2019 keepers\u201d.<\/p>\n

Citing the recent paper presentation, he noted that \u201cthe revenue the northern region was contributing to the central purse is more than the revenue of the entire southern protectorate or southern region was contributing for a period of 34 years. And the expenditure of the central authority or Federal Government in those years was far less than financial contribution of the North. In the 1959\/60 constitutions, the revenue allocation was based on derivation, only 50 per cent on tax and rent. Not on the entire revenue that accrued to the federation account. Today, the 13 per cent that was given is in respect of the entire revenue accruing into the federation, this should be noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou help your brother at the time of need. When it is your turn your brother should help you. While we are making this major case against allocating specific revenue for the oil baring states, to me there is nothing like oil producing states. No state is producing oil. Oil in<\/p>\n

Nigeria is found by the Almighty God, and not by the effort of anybody from Sokoto, or from Rivers or Bayelsa. So, we should be our brother\u2019s keeper\u201d.<\/p>\n

Presenting the position of Kano State, Governor Kwankwaso explained that the continuous agitation by the South-South people for increase in revenue allocation has been to the detriment of the North whose region has been under intense pressure of poverty and disease.<\/p>\n

He also pointed out that \u201cfor a long time, the effort towards reforming the petroleum sector was marred by challenges arising from high level corruption, conflicting interest of powerful political and economic blocs and general perception of insincere commitment on the side of the political elites\u201d.<\/p>\n

Urging the National Assembly against passing the PIB for sake of national unity, fairness, and equity, Kwankwaso said \u201cwe would like to inform the members that the major problem of the petroleum industry, and indeed the nation in general, is failure to get rid of corruption in our private and public lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we try to adjust by being patriotic, honest and prudent, Nigeria will be a different place to live.\u201d<\/p>\n

Supporting Kwankwaso\u2019s view, Yero explained that \u201cthe host communities fund created by the PIB 2012 is the most controversial provision of the bill\u201d, stressing that \u201cthe constitution of Nigeria recognises only three tiers of government and does so more particularly on revenue accruing to the Federation Account, to create a host communities fund therefore, will not only be tantamount to creating a fourth tier of government, but make provisions that will further alienate other parts of the country economically.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Yero who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Hawa Dalhatu. He criticised the \u201cexcessive powers\u201d given to the Minister of Petroleum Resources in the PIB, saying \u201cthere is therefore the need to subject the powers of the minister, especially in making the key appointments, to the approval of the Senate, as it is the practice with many critical national officers.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the conclusion of the hearing held in Enugu, only Enugu and Anambra state governments made inputs.<\/p>\n

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The Chairman of the Reps panel on PIB for South East zone, Mr. Muraina Ajibola, who announced that eight submissions were made, said only Enugu and Anambra states made inputs, adding that private individuals and organisation made six other submissions.<\/p>\n

He added that though the two\u2013day exercise had ended, the committee would be willing to receive submissions in writing from the three states governments in Abuja so as to have an \u201celaborate views on the issue as a way of solving the problem\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ajibola noted that the PIB is a serious issue that should not be neglected.<\/p>\n

Enugu and Anambra states called for establishment of Petroleum Host Community Fund to include those communities hosting oil wells, pipelines and flow stations. Enugu added however, that 13 per cent derivation for oil-producing states is enough and should be maintained, subject to periodic revisions.<\/p>\n

Presenting the position of the Anambra State government, Secretary to State Government, Oseloka Obaze, noted that the beneficiaries of the Petroleum Host Community Funds must include those communities where petroleum facilities passed through, stressing that they could be victims of oil spillage.<\/p>\n

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He said: \u201cIn Anambra State, we note that the envisaged refinery site at Nsugbe is removed from oil wells in Aguleri axis. We also envisage that the Onitsha metropolis will host oil jetties and tank farms in not too distant future. Invariably, the presence of these facilities in the territories of Anambra is bound to exert pressure on our infrastructure. Accordingly, we join with states that hold the common view that a definition of host community should be inserted into the bill to include communities that host petroleum facilities and these facilities shall include refineries, jetties, loading facilities, storage depots, pipelines and allied facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Obaze also called for amendment on section 293 of the bill which deals with duty to restore the environment, saying that the implication of the provision would invariably impose great and even unforeseen obligations on the state and local governments and essentially make the government vicariously liable for wanton acts of unknown miscreants and saboteurs.<\/p>\n

The Enugu State Commissioner of Transport, Mr. Chukwuka Utazi, who presented the position of Enugu State government, called on the Federal Government to expand the frontiers of exploration to cover gas deposits in the state and not restricted to crude oil.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn Enugu state, gas deposits abound in commercial quantities in the oil rich riverine communities of Igga, Ojjior, Ogurugu and Asaba in Uzo Uwani local council. In Nsukka council, we have gas deposits in Ehandiagu. All these gas deposits has been identified and capped and declared strategic reserve of the country, without any benefit to the host communities and the state. It is our expectation that the federal government should make policy statements to the effect that all these deposit should be explored and exploited\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: Guardian Newspaper<\/p>\n

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