http://www.nigerianobservernews.com/05022010/businessservices/indexnews4..html

ABUJA - Oil and Gas producing communities in the Niger Delta Area have asked the National Assembly to suspend further consideration of the Petroleum Industry Bill for its failure to address the plights of the people mostly affected by the exploitation of petroleum products. Addressing a press conference in Abuja representatives of the communities and some Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s) described the Bill as an attempt by the ruling elite to exclude community people who suffer the consequences of oil exploitation, from enjoying the benefit of having the
black gold in their land.
The spokesman of the group at the conference, Mr. Akpobari Celestine, read the text of the communiqué which he said emanated from a two day consultative meeting on the matter.

“That the National Assembly suspends debate on the Petroleum Industry Bill until adequate time has been created for consultation with community people and the civil society.

That Community Development Agreements should be incorporated in the PIB to ensure development of the oil-producing communities and should be a
prerequisite for the issuance of licenses as obtained in the Mineral and
Mining Act of 2007

That the aspirations of the various ethnic nationalities as contained in their Bill of Rights and Declarations such as the Ogoni Bill of Rights (1990), The Charter of Demands of the Ogbia People (1992), Kaiama Declaration (1998), The Resolutions of the First Urhobo Economic Summit (1998); The Akalaka Declaration (1999); The Warri Accord (1999); The Ikwerre Rescue Charter (1999); The First Niger Delta Indigenous Conference (1999); Oron Bill of Rights (1999) and the Niger Delta Peoples¡ Compact (2008) be addressed in the PIB.

That the role of the civil society and communities in matters concerning granting of licenses for oil prospecting and production be clearly spelt out in the PIB.

That the PIB should properly stipulate penalties for environmental violations by operators of the oil industry in Nigeria and expunge section 286 which require States and Local Governments to pay 1% and 0.5% of their annual derivation allocation into Remediation Fund under the custody of the Inspectorate to restore the environment in cases of damage caused to the environment as a result of sabotage”.