The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday, constituted a seven-member committee to harmonise the different versions of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), passed by both chambers of the National Assembly last week.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, also on Tuesday constituted a conference committee to harmonise the PIB with the Sanate.
Lawan, at the plenary said the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi North), would lead the conference committee.
He listed other members of the panel to include, senators Sabo Nakudu (Jigawa North East), Albert Bassey (Akwa Ibom), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), Stella Oduah ( Anambra), and Gabriel Suswan (Benue).
The Senate President said the conference committee would start sitting immediately so that the National Assembly could transmit the harmonised the bill to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for assent
He said, “The conference committee will meet with our counterparts in the House, the House will also announce the composition of the conference committee.
“We hope that they will swing into action immediately, so that we are able to have the final document of the PIB which we will transmit for the presidential assent.”
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, also on Tuesday, constituted a conference committee to harmonise the difference in the versions of the Petroleum Industry Bill passed by the Senate and the House.
Most prominent among the clauses to be harmonised is the royalty to host communities in the petroleum sector. While the Senate approved three per cent, the House had passed five per cent.
The Speaker announced members of the panel with the Majority Whip, Mohammed Monguno, as chairman, and six others namely; Victor Nwokolo, Ademorin Kuye, Kingley Uju, Tijjani Yusuf, Ibahim Hamza and Mansur Soro.
