Niger Delta Congress Rejects PIB, Calls For Restructuring

THE Niger  Delta  Congress has rejected the Petroleum  Industry  Act  recently  signed  into  law  by  President  Muhammadu Buhari.

The group made its position on the Bill known through a statement signed by its spokesperson, Barr.  Ovunda C.  Eni, and made available to Prime Business Africa.

The statement read, “It  would  be incredulous  for  anyone  to  think  that  the  different  ethnic  nationalities  of  the Niger  Delta  will  assent  to  a  legislation  whose  very  first  clause  dispossessed  the people  of  their  rights  to  their  resources  and  by  extension,  lands.

“Bearing  this  in  mind,  we  believe  it  will  be  a  total  waste  of  time  discussing  the contents  of  the  Petroleum  Industry  Act.  Nonetheless,  we  appreciate  the revelations  on  the  obvious  tyranny  and  lack  of  empathy  by  the  majorities  for the  region,  and  also  the  indolent  roles  played  by  the  political  leaders  of  the Niger  Delta  region  in  the  preparation  and  eventual  passage  of  this  Bill  into  Law.

“Consequently,  the  NDC  urges  all  the  various  ethnic  nationalities  of  the  region to  reject  this  obnoxious  law  and  immediately  call  for  a  total  restructuring  of this  country  and  ensure  we  protect  what  is  rightfully  ours. We  also  use  this  medium  to  call  on  all  peoples  of  the  Niger  Delta  to  make themselves  available  for  the  Niger  Delta  Peoples  Conference  holding  on  the  8th and  9th  of  October,  2021  in  Bayelsa  State,  Nigeria.”

After some very tedious process over the years, the President on Monday finally signed the Petroleum Industry Bill into law.

But it has generated controversy so far, especially from the people of Niger Delta, who feel shortchanged by the provisions of the Act.