GROUP TASKS LAWMAKERS ON PIB TIMELINE

Nigerian legislators have been urged to draft a time table to fast track the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, which has just been sent to it by the Executive.

This is one of the resolutions arrived at by the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, which recently held a round table to discuss issues concerning the passage of the bill.

The groups argued that such a time table will enable Nigerians participate actively in a transparent process which gives sufficient time for public hearings.

Among others, the CSOs equally urged the executive to:

Continue to sustain the political will required to push the PIB through the National Assembly.

The Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resource to mass produce hard copies of the Bill for access by members of the public and disseminate the PIB 2012 through its website as well as that of the NNPC, NEITI and all other relevant agencies of government.

* Set up of a Civil Society-Labour Working Group on the PIB and urge all Civil Society and Labour Movements in the Country to join hands with the group to engage the National Assembly and other Stakeholders for Speedy passage of the Bill

However, the CSOs criticized the discretionary powers conferred on the President and the Minister of Petroleum on oil licensing, and argued that this runs against transparency and accountability being sought for the industry.

Acxcording to the organizers, 'The Roundtable was designed to provide a platform for Civil Society Organisations, CSOs and Labour Movement, Media, Rights Groups, Women's Groups to get a de-briefing from the CSO-Labour representative on the Task Force on PIB, and analyse the outcome of the committee's work and proffer strategies to get the National Assembly to pass the Bill into Law.

The Roundtable was attended by 53 representatives of Civil Society Organisations drawn from NGOs, CBOs, Trade Union Congress, Nigeria Labour Congress, academia, individual Nigerians and Oil communities.