Senate pledges to break jinx on PIB

THE Senate yesterday resolved to break the jinx of failure on consideration and passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) as witnessed in the 6th and 7th Senate and by extension, National Assembly.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who spoke yesterday at the inauguration of additional 11 standing committees of the Senate,
said passage of the PIB when represented by the executive is very necessary for adequate reforms in the nation’s oil and gas sector.

To achieve this, he said the Senate has put the PIB on its legislative agenda, and the legislature iss already working with the executive towards getting the bill passed quickly.
“The oil and gas industry remains the lifeblood of the Nigerian economy. The industry is going through a downturn period which presents also the opportunity for us to reform the local industry to meet with changing times.

“Attempts in the past to reform the industry through the Petroleum Industry Bill have not been able to go full circle for variety of reasons. The 8th Senate and by extension, 8th National Assembly is ready to tackle the issue with all sense of patriotism”

Saraki particularly charged the Petroleum Upstream, Petroleum Downstream and Gas Committees to immediately swing into action so as to make quick passage of the bill possible. According to him, the chairmen and members of the committees were carefully chosen to help the upper chamber complete the reform process that will make the nation’s oil and gas industry more adaptive to international best practices.

“The Senate expects that you pay very good attention to these bills and treat them with dispatch so that we can quickly move towards the implementation of the reforms which have become long overdue,” he stressed. He added that by the committees inauguration, the senate has begun the full implementation of its vision to make laws that will impact positively on the lives of Nigerians.

Other committees inaugurated by the senate president are Petroleum Upstream; Petroleum Downstream; Gas; Education (Basic and Secondary); Women Affairs; Employment, Labour and Productivity; Establishment and Public Service; Culture and Tourism; Special Duties; and States and Local Government Affairs.