PIB:SOUTHERN GOVERNORS REJECTION A WELCOME DEVELOPMENT

 The Southern Governors rejection on the Amended  Petroleum Industry Bills is indeed a great feat to be commended. It is so appalling to the core that "the goose who lays the golden egg " will not be allowed to enjoy its tireless efforts. That's the situation of the Niger Delta Region who are the Oil Producing States in Nigeria and they serve as the Epicentre that generates the revenue used in running the day- to-day activities of Nigeria. to be  marginalised by the Northern Cabal in Power.

The PIB Bill  is made of 318 Clauses and was hastely adopted in less than 20 minutes bypassing so many Clauses then enacted by the House of Representative Members on  July 1st, 2021. This is a pinpointer that the Northern Lawmakers who are  Majority, Conspired with the collaboration of some greedy Southerners to Oppress the South due to their quest for Power and enrichment of their Region at the detriment of depriving those (Southerners) , who produce the Crude oil that generates the juicy Revenue for developmental drives of their region; thereby came up with the idea of allocating only 5% for the Host Communities in Niger Delta Region which produces the Crude oil: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers states. And  the lawmakers went ahead to allocate 30% for Northern States that doesn't produce nor generate tangible revenue for the Sustenance of Nigeria economy.

The amendment of the PIB bill was a Motion moved by a Northerner in person of Hon. Mohammed Monguno, an APC party Member from Borno State. Section 240 of  the bill was amended to increase the mandatory host communities funding by oil companies. And the new  bills reads in parts: Section 240(2) now reads, “Each settlor, where applicable through the operator, shall make an annual contribution to the applicable host community development trust fund of an amount equal to 5% of its actual annual operating expenditure of the preceding financial year in the upstream, the midstream and downstream in respect of all petroleum operations affecting the host communities for which the applicable host community development trust fund was established.” this is an indirect way of the Northern region to be the new owners of the ownership  Structure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which the Southern Governors read the handwriting on the walls and made a fast move to reject such evil plot against the wish of Southerners and entire Nigerians at large through a Public Statement issued during their Forum held in Lagos State few days ago.

Be that as it may, it is worthy to note that issuing a Communiqué or Statement by the  Southern Governors through a forum. Will not stop the Northerners from achieving their long term agenda  in taking over the ownership structure and enjoying the dividend of Funds allocation generated through the Sales of Barrels of Crude oil at the International Market.

In light of the ongoing discourse, the following suggestions could go a long way to counter the vicious Move of the Northerners through the ageis of their Lawmakers in both the Red chambers (House of Senate) and the Green chambers (House of Representatives), if adopted by our Southern Governors if it is been implelemented by the Federal Government of Nigeria as follows:

Firstly, The Southern governors should Vehemently demand that 60% of the revenue generated from the sales of Crude oil to be paid into the States Account of the 8 States that produces the Crude oil for the developmental goals of the host Communities who are suffering from the Pollution of oil Spillage; 40% to the Federal Government account.

Secondly, The Southern Governor should demand that One of the Oil Refinery in the Southern regions,  should be Set-up to kick-start the Production of Crude oil in fullscale instead of giving  Dangote the Monopolistic rights to his ongoing refinery or Exporting Crude oil at a Cheaper rate for the Final production of Gasoline,Petrol,Kerosine to Foreign Oil Firms who in turn Sells  it back to Us (Nigeria) at an exorbitant rate, from the Federal Government.

Thirdly, The Southern Governors should also demand from the Federal Government, that More Sea Ports Should be built at Southern Regions to help decongest the Apapa Wharf in Lagos State and create more Job employment opportunities for Southerners and Nigerians at large. 

Furthermore, The Board of Trustees  of NNPC, should be headed by a Southerner who knows the pain which the dwellers of these host Communities the Crude oil are extracted from and will be able to do the needful by granting Scholarships to the indigent Students from Primary to tertiary institution with an automatic employment to those who are found worthy to contribute their own quota in the betterment of the Niger Delta Regions and Nigeria at large.