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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013
Senate in tumultuous debate over PIB By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
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he Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which was submitted to the Senate by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dezani AlisonMadueke, is having a rough sail in the chamber owing to stiff rejection of some sections in it by northern Senators, who claim it is more in the interest of the southern part of the country. During yesterday’s debate, many of the Senators threw caution to the wind as they argued on regional line pointing out faults in the bill which they think is not in the interest of their regions.
The major issues at contest were the inclusion of Host Community Fund, more powers for the Petroleum Minister, National Oil Exploration Frontier Fund, among others. Majority of the northern Senators who spoke, despite agreeing with the bill generally for bringing more sanity in the nation’s oil industry, however observed that creating 10 per cent Host Community Fund from oil companies net profit, in addition to already existing 13 per cent derivation, will add up to a whooping 23 percent derivation for the oil producing states. Other argue that the frontier oil exploration policy
funds, as contained in the bill, should be used to pursue oil exploration in the northern states, where oil has already been discovered, saying it will create a balanced economy where the south does not see the north as parasites. On their part, the southern Senators had argued that since the proposed 10 percent Host Community Fund applies to both the oil producing states and other states through which oil pipelines pass, many communities in the north will benefit from the funds, adding that the rationale behind the fund is to discourage pipeline vandalism in the country. They further argued that the bill has numerous
advantages for Nigerians, particularly in area of local content and transparency in the sector, adding that the plight of the host communities should not be taken for granted, pointing out that if oil is explored in the north, the host communities will still face same difficulty like their southern counterparts. In his closing remarks, the Senate Deputy President, Ike Ekwrrenmadu, who concluded the plenary, commended the Senators for their patriotic posture towards the bill, noting that none of them opposed the bill in its entirety. He observed that there are some areas of discrepancies,
including minister’s powers, Host Community Fund, among others, but assured that the relevant committees will work towards harmonising the variances even as he adjourned debate till today. Earlier in his lead debate, Victor Ndoma Egba, PDP Cross River, who doubles as both the sponsor and the leader of the Senate, pointed out that owing to the mono-cultural nature of Nigerian economy, the PIB has generated both national and international interests. He said that the bill, when passed, will significantly improve domestic gas supply for the power industry, which is the backbone of the power sector reform agenda.
Let FCt residents votes count, ANPP tells Minister By Adeola Tukuru
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he All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP), FCT Chapter yesterday called on FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, to refrain from interference with the conduct of Area Councils election in FCT. The FCT Chairman of ANPP, Alhaji Abdulmalik Usman, in a statement in Gwagwalada called on the Minister to respect the principle of one man one vote in the March 16 Area Councils election. Usman faulted a statement credited to the minister over plot to capture the six Area Councils in the territory for the PDP in the March 16 elections. “The FCT Minister should take a clue from what happened in Bauchi when he contested and defeated an incumbent PDP senator under the platform of ANPP. “What gave him the edge over the incumbent senator is that the people’s votes counted. “It is therefore sad for a politician who won election under such credible, free and fair election in Bauchi to come to FCT and abuse the process,” he said. Usman therefore called on the Prof. Attahiru Jega led INEC to insist on credible election in FCT and put up machineries to ensure that the election was transparent, free and fair. The ANPP chairman called on FCT residents to remain steadfast and come out en-mass on March 16 to ensure that the six Area Councils in FCT were delivered to ANPP. He also called on the party supporters to be peaceful and law abiding adding that ANPP would continue to live up to its campaign promises.
R-L: Senate President David Mark presenting a souvenir to the leader of German Parliament delegation, Mr Uwe Kekeritz, during the latter visit to the senate president, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa
PDP Website, Magazine get new COO By Lawrence Olaoye
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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday announced the appointment of a new Chief Operating Officer (COO) for its website and official magazine, Umbrella. The party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, announced Mr. Ahaoma Kanu, a CNN award winner the new occupant of the position. The party stated “Consequent upon the decision of the National Working Committee to reposition the party ahead of the 2015 general elections, the Publicity Directorate has unfolded a number of programmes to enable the party maintain its preeminent position in spite of the orchestrated attacks by the opposition.
“In this regard, the party has repackaged its website as well as its official magazine, the Umbrella to effectively publicize the programmes of the PDP government in power. “The PDP website will have a contemporary outlook and multimedia components making
it a useful tool for the younger generation of Nigerians to get more actively involved in the activities of the ruling party. “In the same vein, the Umbrella magazine has been repackaged and upgraded to have more content which will focus on development strides recorded by
the party at the federal, state and local government area levels in the country. The Umbrella has consolidated on its editorial team with the appointment of a CNN Award winner and seasoned journalist, Mr. Ahaoma Kanu as the Chief Operating Officer (COO).”
Al-Makura appoints female SSG
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ov. Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State on Monday appointed Hajia Zainab Abdulmumini as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG). Abdulmumini, until her appointment, was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education. A statement by the Permanent Secretary, General
Services Administration, Mr Bulus Musa, in Lafia, said that Al-Makura would inaugurate the new SSG on a date to be announced later. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abdulmumini is the first woman to be appointed SSG since the creation of the state in 1996. NAN recalls that Al-Makura
had dissolved his cabinet in February and removed the former SSG, Mr Hamza Elayo, all commissioners and special advisers. According to Al-Makura, the dissolution of the cabinet is not meant to witch-hunt anyone, but to ‘inject new blood’ in the administration in order to fasttrack its development agenda in the state. (NAN)