Geoffery Okorie (Depot Manager)
Geoffery Okorie (Depot Manager)
What I know about the PIB is that it has to do with the liberalization of the oil industry, government keeping the industry and running it on its own does not give us the much- required result, but by the time you give full independence which has to do with deregulation, then we will get things right. To some extent I think the bill is a welcome development. However, the subject should be how do we implement the bill, one thing is to approve the bill but another thing is to allow it to work, truly the government is subsidizing the petroleum product but the people that are supposed to benefit from the subsidy are not getting it, so instead of the continued subsidy dependence government should remove the subsidy, the pains will be just for a while, if it means paying through our nose so that at least we can see the dividends of what we are paying for, then it is okay. I expect that the PIB will ensure total deregulation and the full definition of the downstream sector and the offshore sector, so that whenever you are working you will know your limitations and jurisdiction. I also expect that the bill will bring a demarcation between the levels of commitment from the government and the individuals.
Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo (Lagos Chairman, NUPENG)
Our expectations from PIB is that any anti-labour clauses in it will be resisted and this is our stand, we want to have an input into it, let’s have pre-knowledge of the content because before now there are different factions of the bill, we do not know which one is before the House, we don’t know the one they want to implement, before they pass it into law, it is better that all the stakeholders have the knowledge of it, anyone that is anti-labour, we should be allowed to contribute and if possible make amendments so that there will be industrial peace in this country.
Olanife Adeoye (Petroleum marketer)
I expect that there will be an enabling law that will encourage both individual and private investors to invest, governments all over the world hardly control their oil industry and that is why their economy is working, it has been discovered that government cannot handle things well because there are some parameters that will not encourage it, so the law should be one that will encourage corporate bodies and individuals to bring in their money, there should be an adequate profit that will encourage them. When investors put their money in the economic growth of a country, they are sourcing a certain level of profits in order for the other goals to be met, one of them is being able to satisfy the communities where they are making the profits, employing more people, provision of social amenities, at least to be able to generate enough dividends. So the law should be good enough to encourage the investors to bring in their money. For instance, looking at the situation of the fuel subsidy removal, we should know the real value of the oil we are buying; these monies should have been used to build refineries instead of sharing it among themselves.
Comrade Julius Efokpor (Merchant Navy Association)
Operators in the petroleum industry, especially those that carry out logistics supply in the industry are all our members. If the petroleum Industry is streamlined in accordance with the bill, the bill will create more rooms for Nigerians by way of employment opportunities in the industry, which means it will give room for our members to be employed in the local content. The petroleum industry Bill is a welcome idea because it will open so many areas; so many things have been hidden in the past but this bill will now open so many things and that will create jobs for Nigerians. The issue of handling of goods in the industry is done by my members and if that is so, the bill will affect their lives by way of increasing their condition of service, the welfare package will be better; compared with their counterparts abroad, I’m sure it will not accommodate the third party aspect of employment.
Comrade Godstime Omowele[MRS, NUPENG]
My expectation is that the right thing about the bill should be done to ensure the passage into law because now, I know there was a similar bill which we do not know how it ended but the big question is why was it discarded if there is no hidden agenda behind it. My question is why was the former PIB abandoned and of what benefit is the new bill to the common man, the oil and gas sector and the economy? To me the bill is highly politicized by some people and there is need to review the bill for the public to know more about the pros and cons before passing it into law.
Imumolen Christopher [Oil and Gas Education /Research Academy)
Talking about the petroleum Industry bill, we have been dragging our feet for so long, we believe that with the recent move with the Minister of Petroleum, we should be seeing something better.
Tunji Ogunleye [Stakeholder]
The Petroleum Industry bill is more favourable to the upstream operation and it involves exploration, exploitation, refining and local content issues. It is also a bill to review the existing contractual relationship between oil companies, agents and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation [NNPC].The truth is that there is need for the bill to be passed into law because I expect that when the law probably sails through, then Nigerians can smile because it will address issues that affects the sector.
Comrade Kunle Josh [M.D Mave Venture]
The PIB according to what we gathered will encourage local participation in the oil and gas industry. We expect that the bill should have been passed into law by now, but we were surprised to know that it is pending before the legislature and if you ask what is still holding that bill, I will say it is politicized by some gang who do not want the country to move forward. I expect that the PIB when passed into law, will bring about indigenous participation in the sector and as well create jobs for Nigerians.
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