Local communities justified in demand for 5% allocation in PIB —Peter Obi

Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State has opined that the five percent being demanded by local communities within the framework of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is “just”.

He made this call on Mondah during a live interview on AriseTV.

Niger Delta leaders had rejected the three percent of oil companies’ profit allocat­ed to host communities by the Senate.

They had argued that the National Assembly members from the region did not do enough in ensuring a better package for host communities in the recently passed bill, in­sisting that the three percent be reviewed upwards for the sake of peace and justice for the host communities.

Read also: We have integrity issues in Nigeria —Peter Obi

The President, Ijaw Nation­al Congress (INC), Prof. Benja­min Okaba, had also said the three percent approved by the Senate was too small.

“We, in collaboration with the governors recommended 10 percent. We still insist that is the minimum that is good enough for the host commu­nities. We are talking about the people who suffer degra­dation as a result of the direct impact of neglect. We must begin to change strategies of this top-bottom approach and embrace bottom-top ap­proach”, he had said.

In the same vein, Peter Obi stated that the Federal Government has been unfair to the local communities.

“Nigeria has been unfair to the local communities and the five percent demand is just. I appeal to the FG to effect the needs of the community.

“Let us equip the communities for self sustainability,” he stated.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now