From Bola Ogunlayi, Ibadan
Media practitioners across 17 states of south-south, South-East and South-West geopolitical zones of Nigeria converged on Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital to deliberate on the need for President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to as a matter of urgency ensure that Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) becomes an Act for immediate implementation.
Participants including the National President of the NUJ, comrade Chris Iziguso, National Secretary of NUJ, Shuaibu Leman, at a workshop on PIGB engagement organised by FOSTER, a UK powered body, in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), on October 25, 2018 brainstormed to reiterate the impressiveness of the PIB.
Critical stakeholders were educated on the urgent need to rescue the oil and gas industry from total collapse.
The 8th National Assembly successfully passed the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) in 2018 and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria withheld his assent to the Bill in July 2018, citing few technical reasons.
The bill concentrates mainly on the functions/roles of the Minister of Petroleum Resources (MoPR), Nigeria Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NPRC), the national oil companies which are: the Nigeria Petroleum Assets Management Company (NPAMC) and the National Petroleum Company (NPC); and the Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF).
Addressing the opening session of the workshop, the number one Journalist in the country, Comrade Chris Isiguzo said the media had enough power to ensure timely passage of the PIGB into law by using their feature stories, special reports, editorials, commentaries, write-ups and news stories highlighting benefits of such intervention.
The NUJ President called on the key oil and gas players, President Buhari and the National Assembly to iron out their differences on the PIGB in order to ensure its becoming an act in no distance time.
Also speaking, the FOSTER Representative, Dr Michael Uzoigwu urged Nigerian media to take the ownership of the PIGB by using their reports/news stories to again stimulate its passage by the federal lawmakers for presidential assent.
Dr Uzoigwu said the bill would eliminate inefficiency and ensure good governance in the petroleum industry.
Two papers, “Petroleum industry Governance bill, (PIGB) and Saving Nigeria’s Oil & Gas Industry” by an expert/lawyer, Mr Leonard Ugbajah and “Petroleum Industry Bill and Future of Nigeria’s Oil & Gas Industry: PIAB, PHICDB” by Mr Joe Nwakwue were delivered.
Participants at the workshop including, the Regional Editor, South West, Time Nigeria Magazine, Bola Ogunlayi, Senior Assistant Secretary NUJ Gbemiga Bamidele and Senior Reporter, Positive FM, Sure, Ondo State ,Leke Adegbite at the end of the Workshop submitted that the exercise would serve as catalyst in the development of the Petroleum industry.