The Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB 2020 was read on the floor of the senate for the first time on Wednesday with the ninth assembly vowing to ensure its passage.
With the bill scaling first reading on the floor of the Upper Chamber, it is a clear indication that the Senate has begun the process of legislative procedure for the passage of the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill.
As part of business of the day seen by reporters, presentation of the bill is number two in the day’s order paper.
The Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi, All Progressives Congress, APC, Kebbi North presented the proposed legislation and the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, read the bill for the first time.
In his remarks, Senate President Ahmad Lawan directed the Clerk of the Senate, Dauda Ibrahim El-Ladan to ensure that all the senators must start getting the copies by tomorrow and ensure that they all have them on Tuesday next week.
The leadership of the National Assembly had on Monday said that the ninth assembly will break the jinx of not being able to pass the PIB after several attempts.
“The PIB is said to be jinx actually for a long time. Probably from 2007 to 2019,” Lawan said in his opening remarks.
“It’s either the bill or bills were sponsored by the Executive and not passed by the Legislature bas was the case in 2007, 2011 in the 6th and 7th Assembly.
“In the 8th Assembly, the Legislature sponsored the bill, breaking it down to about three, it passed but there was no assent.
“Now the bill is an executive bill coming to the National Assembly. The two chambers promise that we will break that jinx.
“We want to see an oil industry in Nigeria that is properly regulated, an oil industry that not only sustains the investment that we have but attract even more investment, an oil industry that is very competitive.
“So the Ninth Assembly wants to work with you, have a very clear understanding of every provision so that, at the end of the day, we will break that jinx together with you and provide the oil industry a legislation that will make more effective and efficient at the end of the day,” Lawan said.
