From Segun Amure, (The New Diplomat’s Abuja Bureau)
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of State, Labour and Productivity, Festus Keyamo and big wigs in the oil and gas industry will gather at a virtual colloquium to proffer solutions and address hard-nut issues slowing down the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) currently before the National Assembly.
The PIB seeks to introduce pertinent changes to the governance, administrative, regulatory and fiscal framework of the Nigerian oil and gas industry, in order to ensure transparency, strengthen the governing institutions and attract investment capital.
But the passage of the bill into law has been repeatedly stalled since 2008 when it was first introduced to the sixth assembly led by Senate President David Mark.
The online event will be co-organised by Africa Independent Television and an online news platform, The News Guru.
Speakers lined up for the colloquium with the theme, ‘PIB: finally getting it right and breaking the 20-year hiatus’, include ex-Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan; ex-Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dakuku Peterside; Ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim; Chairman, TNG Advisory Board, Chidi Amuta; as well as AIT founder, Raymond Dokpesi.
Ex-governor of Edo State, Oserhiemen Osunbor, will analyse the legal framework around the PIB and how it will affect host oil-producing communities with an aim to make the PIB a mutually beneficial law for all stakeholders in the country.
Commenting on the Colloquium, TNG publisher, Mideno Bayagbon, said, “The focus of the summit is to end the seemingly intractable problem of enacting a new, mutually beneficial petroleum industry law which will transform the industry and put in place firm roadmaps for the federal government, industry operators and the communities and states of the Niger Delta.”
The event will hold between 11am and 2pm, March 10, across AIT networks, Zoom and Youtube.
