Recall that the President signed the Petroleum Industry
Bill into law on the August 16, 2021.
I schooled at the Petroleum
Training Institute. You know what that mean? We were trained on the
engineering, economics, and politics of the petroleum industry. I had the
opportunity to interact with the owners and the controllers of the petroleum
resources in the different states of the federation. We daily talked about the hopes
and the despairs of being from an oil community. The Ogoni struggle, Ken Saro
Wiwa, gas flaring, were our everyday gist back then. So I got so interested in
the oil enterprise at a very young age.
Also, as at the time the
Petroleum Industry Bill was drafted I owned my personal hard copy which I read
line by line, page by page. I was by then an intern at the Department of
Petroleum Resources (DPR) and part of my experience was to understand all
existing laws in the Nigerian petroleum industry as well as international
charter and conventions. I owned a hard copy of the Petroleum Act 1969 which I
studied between lines. The petroleum industry bill, to us that saw the original
version, was to be the best thing to happen to the Nigerian oil sector, the
host community and the nation at large. It was to be a legal framework that
harmonizes all extant laws hitherto operating the sector into one document.
Hopes were high. We wished the bill was passed into law the next second.
I seriously wonder if it
that bill that is now passed into law and it look like nothing happened.
Maybe Nigerians, like
myself, from Niger-Delta have experienced things that were highly anticipated
but turned out to be a mere ritual.
To me this law might be
like one of those things that just happen for happening sake without any or
much impact on the masses. I would point a few examples:
1.
Where is the impact of the 13percent oil
derivation on the oil producing states: I remembered how as PTI students then
we wished the struggle for 13% came speedily. Kudos to Victor Attah, James
Ibori, and Peter Odili, that fought for the actualization of that. But where is
the impact on the masses? My state still rank up in unemployment.
2.
Where is the impact of Niger Delta Ministry:
The only thing all of us know is the Minister of Niger Delta who by now must
have greatly increase his net worth but we don’t seem to be aware of any
ministry as such. We thought, if we could just have a separate ministry to oversee
the affairs of the oil rich region then that would mean heaven on earth.
3.
Where is the impact of stopping gas flaring:
It might interest you to know that the cooking gas (LPG) that is now sold at an
exorbitant price is waste gas of the oil sector. We dreamt that if it could
only be harnessed we would cook free 24 hours with LPG and enjoy electricity
free from Natural gas plant. Gas flaring has ceased, the waste gas is now
converted to LPG, LNG, and CNG, but can we afford it as Nigerians. Can we
access it?
These and many more do make
me skeptical about this new law and I ask, why can’t Nigerians benefit from
Nigeria?
By Idongesit F. Oduok
Visit: www.odfidtechnicalworld.blogspot.com
for interesting updates
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