Port Harcourt, Asaba and Lagos — Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has cautioned against hasty passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the National Assembly to avoid crisis. Wike gave the advice at the Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday during an interactive session with members of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill. "If you rush the passage of this bill, you will create crisis. With the experience of the chairman of this committee, I believe the committee will do an excellent job."
The governor urged the committee to tackle critical issues in the bill comprehensively to avoid further crisis when the House passes it. He said the PIB, when passed and diligently implemented, would resolve majority of the development and environmental challenges facing oil-producing communities. To Wike, the controversial PIB has attracted attention because it has to do with oil-bearing communities. He said the communities had suffered untold hardship which must be addressed holistically.
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