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Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri  Tambuwal, has constituted a 23-member special Ad-hoc committee that would further fine tune the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB.

The bill after extensive debate that lasted for two days on the floor of the Lower Chamber, passed through second reading attracted overwhelming support of the lawmakers.

The newly constituted committee is to be chaired by Ishaku Bawa, the Chief Whip of the House while the Minority Whip, Samson Osagie will serve as the Deputy Chairman of the committee which is expected to conduct a public hearing on the bill.

Members of the special panel include - Chairman of the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Muraina Ajibola, and his Deputy,  Moshood Mustapha, Chairman, Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Peterside Dakuku and his Deputy, Yusuf Galambi, Chairman of the Committee on Environment, Uche Ekwunife and her Deputy, Abubakar Musa, Chairman of the Committee on Gas Resources, Basey Ewa, and his Deputy, Gerald Ironna, Chairman of the Committee on Justice, Ali Ahmed and his Deputy, Emeka Nwaogbo, and Chairman of the committee on Local Content, Asita Honourable and his Deputy, Nasir Ali Ahmed, Yusuf Manu, Hassan Saleh, Daniel Reyenieju, Musa Sarki Adar, Kadija Bukar Ibrahim, Rafeesuat Bamiro, Uzor Azubuike, Peter Akpatason, Rotimi Makinde.

The Deputy Leader of the House Hon. Leo Ogor (PDP/Delta) who reintroduced the bill for debate stated that the bill would promote accountability, transparency and openness in the nation’s petroleum sector should it be passed the way it was presented by the executive.

The Bill entitled "A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of a legal, fiscal and regulatory framework for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria and for other related matters and a Bill for an Act to establish the National New Frontier Agency for the purpose of  exploration and production of oil and gas in the Frontier of Chad Basin, Dahomey Basin, Imo Basin, Benue Trough, Bauchi Basin and Sokoto Basin and for other matters connected therewith" was introduced yesterday by the Leader of the House Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande.

After a long time of politicking and horse trading, the House of Representatives, on Thursday, passed for the second reading, the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and the National New Frontier Agency for the purpose of exploration and production of oil and gas in the Frontier of Chad Basin, Dahomey Basin, Imo Basin, Benue Trough, Bauchi Basin and Sokoto Basin.

The debate on the PIB, which kick-started on Wednesday and deferred for final debates, saw most northern lawmakers picking holes in it but wholeheartedly supported  the creation of the National New Frontier Agency.

The PIB, an executive bill, was merged with National New Frontier Agency, sponsored by Honourable Kaka Gujibawu.

The House Leader, Honourable Mulikat Adeola-Akande, had on Wednesday introduced the bill entitled: “A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of a legal, fiscal and regulatory framework for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria and for other related matters and a Bill for an Act to establish the National New Frontier Agency for the purpose of  exploration and production of oil and gas in the Frontier of Chad Basin, Dahomey Basin, Imo Basin, Benue Trough, Bauchi Basin and Sokoto Basin and for other matters connected therewith HB. 360” for second reading with the debate inconclusive and deferred till Thursday (yesterday).