LAGOS MAY 27TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has described the Petroleum Industrial Bill (PIB) recently approved by the House of Senate as fraud on host communities of Niger Delta Region.
Onuesoke who made the observation while speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State after a seminar he attended on climate change said he had gone through the PIB Bill accented to by the Senate and discovered that the section of the bill which allocated ten percent development fund to host communities where oil companies operate was removed from the approved bill.
Onuesoke recalled that in the draft PIB Bill, ten percent was allocated to communities were the oil companies are allocated, adding that the recommendation was removed from the approved Bill.
He argued that the removal of the community fund clause which was the main solution to Niger Delta problems is way of impoverishing the already disparaging people of the Niger Delta region.
“The removal of community fund which was the main solution to the Niger Delta problems is way of impoverishing the already disparaged people of the Niger Delta Region. Just like the infamous Onshore/ Offshore dichotomy, the Senate removal of the community fund is like passing a bitter pill down the throat of the Niger Deltans.
“This is the ulcer that has eaten deep into our collective fabrics.Chief James Ibori, Obong Victor Attah together with other patriotic indigenes of the region fought the onshore/ offshore saga to bring succour to the region. But government of the day has deleted the betterment that would have accrued to each of the Host communities that are directly suffering the hazards of oil exploration. The effects on their arable land and aquatic life would have had recompense,” Onuesoke argued.
Onuesoke said he keeps preaching unity among the Niger Delta tribes so as to have a united front instead of them championing ownership of land and tribalism among themselves within the region.
He appealed to them to embrace one another instead of cutting selfish niche for themselves, adding that, that is the only way to forge a united front to fight for what belongs to them.
He, however urged members of the Red Chamber to consider the implementation of the ten percent fund for host communities as enshrined in the PIB draft copy so as to act as succor for host communities in the Niger Delta Region.
“The Senate should be considerate in their action. For fruitful business to take place in the region the host communities should be given adequate attention,” he stated.