Tashikalmah Hallah and Nasidi A. Yahaya
13 November 2009
The House of Representatives yesterday denied reports that it has supported the deregulation of the petroleum sector proposed by the Federal Government.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole made the remarks at yesterday's plenary session, urging the MPs to desist from making unguarded statements that were likely to bring the House into disrepute.
Bankole's statement was sequel to reports in the media credited to the Chairman committee on Petroleum (Down stream), Rep Clever Ikisikpo (PDP, Bayelsa State) that the MPs are supporting the plans of the Federal government to deregulate the petroleum sector.
In a motion sponsored by Rep Mohammed Ali Ndume (ANPP, Borno State), he said the constant statements from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was causing panic buying by the populace.
He said the NNPC should have consulted the MPs over the policy instead of taking it to the Nigerian Labour Congress, which he states have no constitutional right to make laws for the country.
He called on Nigerians to oppose the policy vehemently,adding that the NLC has no legal responsibility to negotiate between the masses and the Federal Government.
Hon Ndume said it is the responsibility of the national assembly to work on the requests of the people over any national issue,pointing out that the government shoudn't just go ahead and deregulate the sector without first of all consulting them.
He said: "the Minister of petroleum should know the deregulation policy is hated by the people;and since the government claims to be working for them,let him to the policy down to them and seek their consent before going ahead with it".
Rep Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi State) said that the media in the past week has been awash with reports that the House has given its blessing to the planned deregulation by the Executive.
According to him, the reports emanated from an interview granted by Rep Clever Ikisikpo while the Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) was on an oversight visit to NNPC facilities in Lagos.
Rep Dino said t the impression being passed across to the ordinary Nigerian was that of an uncaring parliament.
When Bankole called on Ikisikpo to clarify the issue, he admitted that he made the statement, but that it was at the level of committee.
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