Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has described the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) approved by the Senate as a fraudulent action on the people of the Niger Delta.
He spoke to journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, after a seminar he attended on climate change, adding that, having gone through the Bill, he discovered that a section allocated ten percent as development fund to host communities.
Onuesoke recalled that in the draft Bill, ten percent was allocated to communities where the oil companies are located, adding that this recommendation was removed from the approved version.
He argued that the removal of the community fund clause, which was the main solution to Niger Delta problems, was a way of further impoverishing the people of the Niger Delta.
“The removal of the community fund, which was the main solution to the Niger Delta problems, is a way of impoverishing the already disparaged people of the Niger Delta. 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 Delta people,”the PDP chieftain said.
“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 area, fought on the onshore/offshore saga to bring succour to the people of the area. However, that government had removed the gooft that would have accrued to each of the host communities suffering from oil exploitation and degradation”.
