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Petroleum Industry Bill: Lawan, Gbajabiamila Vow to Break Jinx, Ensure Passage
The leadership of the National Assembly said Monday that the ninth Assembly will break the jinx of not being able to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill after several attempts.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila assured Nigerians that the time had come for the passage of the bill.
They spoke at a meeting of the leadership of the National Assembly with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Silva, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari and some other top officials in the Petroleum sector.
The meeting was essentially to brief the National Assembly leaders on the focus of the PIB which the Senate President confirmed was forwarded to the Assembly about two weeks ago.
The bill has not been read at the floor of either of the two Chambers of the National Assembly because the federal Lawmakers are currently on recess but will resume session on Tuesday.
“The PIB is said to be jinx actually for a long time. Probably from 2007 to 2019,” Lawan said in his opening remarks.
“It’s either the bill or bills were sponsored by the Executive and not passed by the Legislature bas was the case in 2007, 2011 in the 6th and 7th Assembly.
“In the 8th Assembly, the Legislature sponsored the bill, breaking it down to about three, it passed but there was no assent.
“Now the bill is an executive bill coming to the National Assembly. The two chambers promise that we will break that jinx.
“We want to see an oil industry in Nigeria that is properly regulated, an oil industry that not only sustains the investment that we have but attract even more investment, an oil industry that is very competitive.
“So the Ninth Assembly wants to work with you, have a very clear understanding of every provision so that, at the end of the day, we will break that jinx together with you and provide the oil industry a legislation that will make more effective and efficient at the end of the day,” Lawan said.
The Senate President said it was the first meeting between the Petroleum Ministry and other agencies with the leadership of the National Assembly to discuss the essence and focus of the bill.
“We are glad that the bill is now in the National Assembly even though not before the National Assembly.
“I imagine that by tomorrow(Tuesday) when the communication to the House, communication to the Senate will be read, then it will be before the two chambers of the National Assembly,” Lawan said.
Also Speaking in the same vein, Gbajabiamila was confident that the ninth National Assembly will break the jinx and pass the bill speedily.
“The Bill has been long in the making for several years but I believe this is the session in which it will pass.
“We will pass this Bill speedily, however its passage will not sacrifice thoroughness. We will not sacrifice thoroughness on the alter of speed. Speed because it will be in the nation’s best interest.
“In the House of Representatives, we have assembled a crack team of legislators who are versed in the workings of the industry. It is an Ad-hoc Committee drawn from the House Commitees on oil, upstream, downstream, local content and gas.
“So there is a crack team that will be working with you as we are all trying to go to the same destination.
“Talking about passing it speedily, unfortunately it is coming at the time when it will be competing with the passage of the budget,” Gbajabiamila said.
The Speaker described the bill as “perhaps the most important piece of legislation that will come out from National Assembly in the lifetime of this government.
“It is a most important piece of legislation because we all know what oil represents in terms of our economy. Everyone has been waiting for the arrival of the PIB.
“That is the legislations that is on the lips of every Nigerian whether he knows anything about petroleum or not. It is the most popular and most common Bill. Everybody talks about PIB because oil represents the life wire of our State. That underscores the importance of this Bill,” Gbajabiamila said.
News
Remember there’s a God of second chance” – Ooni tells inmates during visit to Kuje Correctional Centre
The Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Tuesday, kickstarted his annual coronation anniversary with a humanitarian visit to the Kuje Correctional facility in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.
According to Director of Media & Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare, the monarch told the inmates to always remember that God created everyone and that he’ss the God of second chance.
Ooni Ogunwusi was on an official duty in the F.C.T. when he decided to visit inmates at the facility for a programme organized by Hopes Alive Initiative (HAI) under his Chairmanship to motivate those who are often ignored by the society.
Addressing the gathering of inmates and prison’s officials after being welcomed into the facility by officers of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Ooni Ogunwusi who was flanked by his Queen & Deputy Convener of Hopes Alive Initiative HAI Olori Temitope Enitan-Ogunwusi, explained that the best part of human life is the one spent to serve others particularly the poor and vulnerable individuals.
“We should always remember that God created all of us and that is the God of second chance, we have seen in this country from prison to presidency, right from prison all the way to become the president of this country.
“So please do not write off yourselves, whatever the situation you might have found yourselves here remember that their is a God of second chance.
“I am here to tell you that there is a life after here, it does not end here and that is why you all must see this current phase of your life as a learning stage for the lessons with which you will live for life after here.
“I have not come here to tell you that it is not difficult but I am here to tell you that it is possible for you all to be better and be amongst the best members of the larger Nigerian society when you eventually leave here.”
Highpoint of the event was when five (5) inmates were freed after fulfilling all requirements including payment of bail/fines through the assistance of the HAI, with a promise to keep an eye on them and also empowering them in the trade they learned while in the Correctional Centre.
Other event earmarked for the Ooni Ogunwusi’s coronation anniversary is the Staff Appreciation Night during which all staff members (Traditional and Official) working with His Imperial Majesty will be honoured and gifted series of items including cars for the best performing ones.
In the same vein, parts of the statement said the Palace is not unaware of false, malicious and misleading reportage particularly by some unprofessional bloggers and armchair journalists about the event which does not tally with the event or any of its realities.
“These purveyors of fake news who are bent on blackmailing top personalities for income (Online traffic), prominence or whatever reasons predetermined by them wrote nonsense from the figment of their imagination and got it circulated by armchair (lazy) journalists with no regard for principles, laws and ethics of the prestigious pen profession.”
The Ooni’s Hopes Alive Initiative (HAI) has in the last five years engaged in the charity work which targets to give hope to the hopeless and vulnerable members of the society. Ooni Ogunwusi through the NGO has donated befitting homes to the orphanage and destitute, water borehole facilities to several market’s across the South West in Nigeria, educational materials to several schools in the country.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists,Osun State Council will on Friday hold a Commendation Service in honour of late Bishop-Elect, Adesunmbo Samson Abioye.
A statement by the Chairman of the union,Comrade Wasiu Ajadosu and Secretary,Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin indicate that the service will hold at NUJ Press Centre, Iwo /Ibadan Road,Osogbo by nine in the morning.
The statement calls on members of the union,friends and associates of the deceased to be part of the ceremony.
Late Bishop-Elect, Adesunmbo Samson Abioye was a former Secretary of NUJ,Osun State Council.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has said that the second in command of an outlawed Eastern Security Network (ESN) Commander, Ebube Virus, has been killed in a fierce gun battle.
The deceased suspect was on the Imo State Police Command’s wanted list due to his nefarious activities in the Aboh Mbaise area of the State.
The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, disclosed this in a statement issued by the Police spokesman, Henry Okoye, on Tuesday.
According to the CP, “Following the confessions made by the suspected IPOB/ESN Terrorist allegedly involved in the killing of DPO Ahiazu Mbaise and other dastardly acts in the Mbaise axis, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping squad led by CSP Oladimeji Odeyeyiwa on Monday 4th of December, 2023 stormed the criminal hideout of a deadly IPOB/ESN Terrorist Syndicate led by Ebube Virus and Ishaka, at Umuogu Amuzu in Aboh-Mbaise LGA of Imo State and dislodged the terrorists.
“In the process, a ferocious battle broke out between the terrorists and the combat-ready Police agents, neutralizing the Second in Command Ebube Virus, who is well-known on the Command’s wanted list due to their nefarious actions in the Mbaise axis. Others who had been shot at had escaped. From the neutralized terrorist, one AK-47 rifle with 19 rounds of live ammunition was found.
“An operation is underway to find additional fugitive suspects and bring them to justice.”
While praising the brave officers for their unwavering efforts in the fight against all violent crimes in the State, CP Danjuma affirmed the Command’s commitment to working with other security agencies with the aim of restoring peace in the state.
CP Danjuma called on Imo residents to support the Police and other sister security agencies with timely and actionable information that will assist in the crusade against terrorism in the state.
He encouraged owners of hospitals and first-aid outlets to report any person seen with or treating gunshot injuries to the nearest Police Station.
Source: Leadership
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