PIB awaiting Buhari’s assent - Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday said the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) is now awaiting assent of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking during plenary session yesterday, Saraki said with passage of the bill by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the draft law is now ready for the President’s assent.

The Senate had in May last year passed the bill which has been dragging for over a decade.

“The House of Representatives passed the Petroleum Industry Bill yesterday (Wednesday) and we say it is a great achievement for the 8th National Assembly. Finally this bill has been passed waiting for assent by Mr President. I think we can congratulate ourselves for this feat.

“We also agreed that at the joint leadership meeting that the two other bills, the host committee bill and fiscal bill before us will now be treated as a joint committee of the two chambers. I think that will help to make sure we are working with just one document and we are happy for that great development,” he said.

Also on his Facebook, Saraki said the PIGB would address the perennial scarcity of fuel in the country, once it became law.

Meanwhile, the Senate has announced the constitution of a conference committee to meet with their House of Representatives counterparts to review pending bills on the review of 1999 Constitution. The committee is chaired by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.