House Of Reps To Vote On PIB, Says Ihedioha

BEVERLY HILLS, May 10, (THEWILL) – The Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) will be tabled for voting at the House of Representatives this week, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha said Sunday.

The much-anticipated bill, which is expected to reform and restructure the management of the oil and gas sector, has suffered unprecedented delays due to some contentious provisions.

The Deputy Speaker told journalists in Edo State that copies of the bill have been given to members of the House to study for an imminent clause-to-clause consideration.

He was in Edo State alongside a delegation from the House on a condolence visit to House Minority Whip, Hon. Samson Osagie, who lost his father.

“I think it will be most unfair for anybody to insinuate that the House is not working on the PIB. We have slated it for passage and we have mentioned it and we said we have to accomplish it before the end of this Assembly. As we speak, copies of the Bill for consideration have been distributed to all members of the House to enable them study it so that they can make inputs.

“This week, we invite all Nigerians to join us as we take the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill because we believe that the passage will do the Nigerian economy and the petroleum industry a lot of good,” the Deputy Speaker, who will not be returning to the federal legislature in the next dispensation, said.

The tenure of the current 7th Assembly expires in June this year.