Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has
again urged the Federal Government to take a fresh look at the Petroleum
Industry Act (PIA) in order to resolve conflicts in Niger Delta oil-producing
communities arising from implementation of the legislation.
Senator Douye
Diri made the plea on Saturday during the triple celebrations of book launch,
60th birthday and 25th marriage anniversary of King Bubaraye Dakolo, chairman
of the state traditional rulers council, in Yenagoa.
The Bayelsa governor was reacting to a comment by the
Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil),
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who said that litigations in host
communities had made it impossible for them to access monies in the Petroleum
Industry Trust Fund meant for their development.
Senator Diri noted that when the PIA was a bill during
the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the state presented its
position that excluding the oil producing states and local councils from
administration of host communities, as provided in the then bill, would result
in crisis.
According to him, "the PIA, as it was designed,
is a time bomb because the federal government cut off states and local
government councils to deal directly with communities. It is my submission that
the percentage due oil companies conspiratorially reduced from 10 per cent to 3 per cent be reviewed.
"I also call on the federal government to
immediately review the aspect where states and local government were excluded
from administering what is due to the communities. The states and councils are
closer to the communities and it was wrong to have excluded from the
administration of these communities. The current situation is a recipe for
crisis and I urge President Bola Tinubu to review it.”
While congratulating Dakolo, who is the Ibenanaowei of
Ekpetiama Kingdom, on the launch of his books, “The Pirates of the Gulf” and
“The Kingfisher,” Senator Diri described the monarch as a rare king, and urged
the younger generation to see him as a role model.
He also described Dakolo as a literary giant, who took
up the challenge after his ordeal at the Nigerian Defence Academy to fight
injustice in the Niger Delta, emphasising that he has made positive impact on
the Ijaw nation and the country as a whole.
Diri, who launched the books with the sum of N100
million on behalf of the state government, directed the Ministry of Education
to adopt The Kingfisher as part of the state's secondary school curriculum.
"King Dakolo has served Bayelsa and Ijaw nation.
Dakolo and l had been together in the Ijaw struggle. He is sound and very
intelligent. He is a literary giant and l urge our youths of the ljaw nation to
see him as their role model.”
In his remarks, Lokpobiri, who chairman at the event,
congratulated Dakolo on his achievements, describing him as a man of many parts
and a visionary leader.
He lauded the monarch for his advocacy for a better
deal for the Niger Delta people through his literary works, and equally called
on operators of illegal refineries to desist from their activities as these
contribute to degradation of the environment.
Senator Lokpobiri also bemoaned oil communities
inability to access the trust fund for their development as a result of the
crisis and litigations emanating from them.
The chief launcher and Managing Director, Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, equally commended Dakolo for
documenting his experience, which he said would create more enlightenment about
the struggles of the Niger Delta.
Ogbuku, who said the commission would buy as many
copies of the two and distribute to schools in the region, expressed optimism
that the gesture would help to promote education.
The Pirates of the Gulf was reviewed by Dr. Ebidenyefa Nikade while Air Vice Marshal Kurotimi Obidake, representative of Major Gen.Solomon Udounwa (rtd), reviewed The Kingfisher.
Comments:
Leave a Reply