Passage of PIB bills: CISLAC commends Nigeria’s House of Reps, calls for the passage of outstanding PIG Bills

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has commended Nigeria’s House of Representatives for the recent passage of the “much awaited Petroleum Industry and Governance Bill (PIGB)”. This was contained in a statement signed by Auwal Ibrahim Rafsanjani, executive director of CISLAC and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.

Auwal Rafsanjani, CISLAC's executive director
Auwal Rafsanjani, CISLAC’s executive director

CISLAC said it welcomed and applauded the passage of the bills adding that it found such development worthy of commendation as it would, to an appreciable extent, promote transparency, accountability and governance as well as curtail monumental financial losses in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

The nonprofit said it was not “unaware that the passage, which was aimed primarily at the restructuring and reformation of the nation’s oil and gas sector has set the pace unbundling of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to establishing independence agency for effective operationalization and regulation of the sector and merger of its subsidiaries into an entity for appropriate supervision and coordination.”

The statement adds: “We are pleased that the passage is in line with overarching recommendations made by CISLAC during an engagement with the House’s Ad hoc Committee on PIGB in October 2017 with subsequent commitments by the Committee to get it passed—along with other outstanding PIG Bills, before the end of their tenure. We believe this passage comes in fulfillments of the commitments.”

“Considering other outstanding Bills that are paramount to the existence and composition of PIGB such as those related to the host communities and fiscal issues in the sector that have passed through second reading in the House, we call for sustain efforts and commitments to fast-track their passage.”

“We call on both Chambers of the National Assembly to hold a Joint Session to accelerate the harmonisation process of the two versions passed for timely Presidential assent. We also commend the civil society groups, media and other stakeholders for their persistent engagements to ensure the passage and assent to the PIGB is brought to the limelight,” the statement concluded.