‘Host community shouldn’t scuttle PIB’

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has said the issue of multiplicity of host communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) should not be allowed to scuttle its processes.

The Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Dr Godwin Uyi Ojo told Daily Trust last night the broad categorization should be relative as it is mainly, where the oil is found that bears the highest environmental consequences.

“Anywhere oil is found or communities bearing the brunt of any environmental fallout should be considered as host communities. But such broad categorization should be made depending on oil reserve and level of impacts.

“This is essential so that the issue of host communities should not become instrument of division to scuttle the PIB process. Let us unite to fight the common enemy of the Nigerians,” Ojo said.

He said some lawmakers became the mouthpiece of some multi notational oil companies that threatened to pull out of Nigeria’s oil and gas operations if the PIB was passed, “They not only betrayed the wishes of the people but succumbed to cheap blackmail of the oil companies that the PIB would render the oil and gas industry unviable.”