DELTA STATE GOVERNOR SENATOR IFEANYI OKOWA SAYS HE IS OPTIMISTIC THAT THE PROVISION OF THE HOST COMMUNITIES FUND IN THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY BILL (PIB) WILL BE IMPACTFUL TO THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE AND AT THE SAMETIME HELP THEM TO LIVE A SUSTAINABLE LIFE.
GOVERNOR OKOWA MADE THIS EXPRESSION WHEN HE RECEIVED ON COURTESY VISIT, THE CHIEF WHIP HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND CO-CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY JOINT COMMITTEE ON PETROLEUM INDUSTRT BILL, RT. HON MOHAMMED MONGUNO AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AT THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ASABA.
GOVERNOR OKOWA SAID THE PEOPLE OF THE NIGER DELTA REGION ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE RENEWED COMMITMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TOWARDS ENSURING THAT THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY BILL WILL SOON BE A REALITY.
GOVERNOR OKOWA SAID THE INCLUSSION OF THE HOST COMMUNITIES FUND IN THE PIB IS THE BEST THING TO HAVE HAPPENED TO THE OIL PRODUCING COMMUNITIES AS THAT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY MADE THEM PART-OWNERS OF THE OIL COMPANIES IN THEIR LOCALITY AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO SECURE OIL FACILITIES.
THE GOVERNOR CONCLUDES THAT THOUGH OIL HAS IMPROVED THE NATIONS ECONOMY, IT HAS CREATED LOTS OF PAINS TO THE REGION AS THE PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES AND SOURCE OF LIVING WHILE THE BILL HE SAID IS TAILORED TOWARDS SOOTHING SOME OF THOSE PAINS.
MONGUNO SAID IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR NIGERIA TO REFORM THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR HENCE THE PRESENT VISIT BY HIS TEAM TO THE STATE IN FURTHERANCE OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESSES LEADING TO THE PASSAGE OF THE PIB.
ACCORDING TO MONGUNO, BY THE END OF APRIL THIS YEAR, THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IS EVEREADY TO PASS THIS ALL IMPORTANT BILL.
