By Tordue Salem – Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged the House of Representatives, to speedily pass the Petroleum Industry Bill for his assent into law.
In a letter entitled: “Transmission of The Petroleum Industry Bill 2020 For Consideration And Passage Into Law”, the President sought a speedy consideration of the 14-year old Bill.
The Bill was first presented before the National Assembly in 2006 and has been through bottlenecks since then.
It reads in parts:” Pursuant to Section 58 of Constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), I formally request the consideration and passage into law by the House of Representatives the Petroleum Industry Bill 2020.
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“In particular, the House of Representatives Bill combines in a single tone, aspects of significant reforms to the laws governing the Nigerian Petroleum Industry that were previously set out in two distinct drafts legislation, namely, the Petroleum Industry Bill 2020 and the Petroleum Industry Fiscal Bill 2020.
“While I trust that, the House of Representatives will in their usual expeditious manner favourably consider the passage of this Bill, please accept Right Honourable Speaker, the assurances of my highest considerations”.
VANGUARD had exclusively reported months ago that the House had set up a 30-member committee headed by House Whip, Muhammed Monguno, to look at the Bill once again and bring it to the House for speedy passage.
