A Trade Unionist and former Secretary General of NUPENG, Chief Frank Kokori, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law.
According to him, though 3% for the affected communities is still very small but the signing of the PIB is a historic achievement by the Buhari’s government .
Chief Frank Kokori made these remarks in Ilorin the Kwara state capital, North Central Nigeria during an interview with newsmen at a two day strategic planning and management retreat organised by Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies Ilorin in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
According to him, he looks for the long term benefits and advantages of the bill because people from the oil producing communities now have a legal framework which was absent in the oil industry.
“Our people will like to here more percentage from what is coming from their own backyard but I believe it is a good starting point, historic and watershed for the industry” he said.
The frontline activist further disclosed that there are lot of other benefits in the bill which the people did not see but most of them know it is a good thing and I always assure my people at home that if NUPENG and PENGASSAN does not oppose that bill with what we have got but what we are hearing is militia in the creeks are very vehement about condemning it but we know that there are lots of benefits in the PIB
He added that with the PIB which is now an Act, there is not much the host communities will enjoy even the percentage that they will get just like the Niger Delta Development Commission which some individuals will cart it out, stressing that the common man may not get anything.
“The Oil Industry is not what the common man on the street enjoys like if we have refineries in Warri and Portharcourt, the common man on the street does not enjoy anything about the refineries. It is like when you have big factories and farms. A farming community, a community enjoys it because food becomes cheaper like Ilorin and Ibadan. Ilorin and Ibadan are the cheapest towns to live in Nigeria. I have been in Ilorin for so many years now. Compare food and accommodation in Ilorin and Ibadan with places like Portharcourt, Warri, Kaduna and Kano. So Ilorin and Ibadan are best places common man enjoys. In a place like Bayelsa where there is oil, a common man enjoys nothing” he added.
He commended the efforts of Comrade Issa Aremu as Director General Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour studies, describing him as a cosmopolitan person who has seen everything and expressed the hope that very soon the Institute will be of international standard.
Nnenna.O
The President really need to be commended for signing this bill into law, this is the same bill that many previous Nigerian Presidents had shied away from, irrespective of the situation of the country today, this is a bold step by the President in a very bold direction. Kudos to the Mr President and would-be beneficiaries