By Luka Binniyat
KADUNA — TWO northern governors, Alhaji  Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State and Alhaji  Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State, yesterday, rejected the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, saying it would make impoverish their states.

Kwankwaso told members of the Adhoc Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill, North West zonal public hearing held  in Kaduna, that the people of Kano State opposed the bill in its totality.

Yero on his part said the term “host communities” would amount to creating a fourth tier of government.

Said Kwankwaso: “The decision is that we kick against the bill came after due consultation with stakeholders and the ordinary citizens of Kano State. Northern legislators must  not to be bought over like during the case of the offshore/onshore debate in 2002. The  people of Kano State will not be deceived  to endorse  the Petroleum Industry Bill. The South South region has a Federal Ministry; it has13 per cent derivation; it has an amnesty programme as well as Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, against other parts of the country.”

On his part, Governor Yero who was represented by Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State  Ministry of Justice Hajia Hauwa Dalhatu said: “There is also in existence Niger Delta Development Commission and Ministry of Niger Delta, in addition to the autonomous amnesty programme. To create a host communities fund therefore, will not only be tantamount to creating a fourth tier of government, but also making provisions that will further alienate other parts of the country economically. The term host communities as used in the bill is nebulous.”