Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal,
yesterday, directed the ad hoc committee on Petroleum Industry Bill
(PIB) to submit its report within 21 days, BUSINESSDAY reports.
He also directed the clerk of the House to activate the electronic voting system without further delay.
The 23-member ad hoc committee headed by Ishaka Bawa was inaugurated
with a view to fine-tuning the PIB which scaled through second reading.
The House also conducted a regional public hearing as part of efforts to take input of Nigerians on the proposed bill.
While reacting to question on the alleged bribe demanded by the House
before passage of the bill, Leo Ogor, deputy House leader, said, “I am
giving you my assurance vis-à-vis that of the speaker that the PIB will
be passed.
"Touch has been put into that bill and I want to also state that I’m not
aware that anybody is asking anybody for a dime. You don’t need anybody
to give you a dime to do your job.
“Our oath of allegiance is to the constitution of Nigeria, vis-à-vis the
fact that we are lawmakers. So if somebody is going to ask for money
before doing his own job, then that is an aberration. I doubt it
sincerely. I hope it’s not some kind of cheap blackmail.
“But I know very soon that the bill will be passed and it is one bill
that will do the oil sector a great deal of advantage. I can’t believe
that somebody will have a situation whereby you ask for money to deprive
the nation to have such a wonderful Act, which at the end of the day
will open up our economy and which at the end of the day will have
multiplier effects in the whole of the economy.
“So, we are quite worried and ashamed that Nigeria as a leading oil
producing country is into importation of petroleum products. It is very
embarrassing and if such a bill will put a stop to that, create
wonderful job opportunities, why will a lawmaker ask for a dime from
anybody? Except some sort of blackmail is emerging from some corners,”
Ogor submitted.
Source
No comments:
Post a Comment