US Expresses Interest in Passage of PIB

The United States of America has declared its interest in the passage of the much-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in order to provide a clear roadmap for the Nigeria’s oil and gas sector as well as stakeholders.

This is coming as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, stated that it is in the interest of the global community to ensure a peaceful Nigeria.

The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, gave the indication in Abuja, yesterday when she paid a courtesy call on Akpabio.

The envoy observed that making the PIB a reality was of interest to her country to ensure that clear-cut conditions for entry into the petroleum industry as well as operational guidelines are spelt out.

She said: “I think that we are all looking forward to the Petroleum Industry Bill becoming a reality so that there can be a predictable basis for entrance for companies entering or operating in the industry, and sort of predictable expectations for the population of the Niger Delta in that regard.”

The envoy stated that she had visited Akwa Ibom State last week to be acquainted with some of the activities of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, noting that she was aware of a roadmap for the region that was supposed to come on stream in 2020, but may have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leonard stated that: “I know there had been a roadmap that was supposed to take place in 2020. Many of us had experienced our plans for 2020 not going exactly how we planned given the global pandemic.”