Page 72 - Vol 33 Issue 34 2021

Pib As Passed Is Like Quenching Fire With Crude Oil
oil Opinion

By Vincent Nwanma

hose who passed the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) recently should not congratulate
Tthemselves yet because their job is far from over. That bill as passed is bound to create more
problems in the host communities than it can solve.

This version of the PIB is nothing short of trying to to a common ground. The purpose was to magnates, the powerful players who move and
quench raging fire with crude oil. The trivialisation balance or harmonise their conflicting interests shake the industry, having taproots reaching far
of the interests of the host communities left the by recognising the role of each partner in the through their network of boys in the industry.
whole process defective. Of course, it cannot maze of combatants that characterise the highly It is this disparate maze of interest groups that
work as it is. The natives are not happy with this volatile oil and gas industry. make this industry such a dangerous war zone,
PIB. They have said so through diverse voices and These interest groups included the host where various interest groups invaded the oil-
may ferment trouble with its implementation. communities, the oil and gas E&P companies, producing region to grab whatever their hands
From the word go, it was clear that the the government as an entity and of course can reach. In the process, the real stakeholders
intention behind the Petroleum Industry Bill as government officials who sometimes represent who are host communities, those who bear the
conceived by the government was to bring all their own interests as distinct from the authorities brunt of oil exploitation and exploitation, are left
parties involved in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry they pretend to represent. There are also oil out of the scheme of things.

72 | AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol33 Issue 34 2021