By Michael Eboh

THE House of Representatives said it has eliminated sentiments and selfishness associated with Petroleum Host and Impacted Communities Development Bill, PHICDB.

The PHICDB, currently before the National Assembly, along with two other bills, is seeking to include some northern states among petroleum host and impacted communities, especially those hosting oil and gas facilities or the facilities, like gas, crude oil or petroleum products pipeline passing through them. The northern states are captured as ‘impacted communities.’

House of Representatives

Speaking in Abuja at a stakeholders’ conversation around the PHICDB, organised by Order Paper Advocacy Initiative, Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Mr. AlhassanDoguwa, said the legislators had resolved to jettison personal and sectional interest for national interest and ensure that the final bill serves the interest of all Nigerians.

He said: “Do not mind the sentiments that might have been involved in the bill. Of course, you cannot rule out sentiment when it comes to the PHICDB. However, I want to say that as it is today, we have been able to reduce a lot of sentiments and a lot of selfishness as far as the legislative process is concerned.

“Members from across both divides of the Niger had agreed to come together and work in the interest of Nigeria.

“Our expectation is that we would have this kind of legislation that would represent only the interest of Nigeria and not the interest of any one of us. The law is going to be made for Nigeria, not for the southern part or northern part of the country.”

The PHICDB is seeking to foster sustainable shared prosperity amongst host and impacted communities; provide direct social and economic benefits from petroleum operations to host and impacted communities and also to enhance peaceful and harmonious coexistence between settler and host and impacted communities.

Also speaking, Mr. Oke Epia, Executive Director, Order Paper Advocacy, said it plans to deepen engagement among key stakeholders, especially between the populace and the legislators on critical issues in the PHICDB, along with other bills at the National Assembly.

Specifically, he disclosed that issues of host communities had been one of the major reasons why the Petroleum Industry Bill had lingered at the National Assembly over the last two decades.