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PIB: Gov Diri seeks resolution of ambiguity in provisions for host communities

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Gov.-Douye-Diri
Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa
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Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa has called for clarity in the definition of host communities in the recently passed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to avoid potential conflicts.

The bill, which was passed into law recently by the senate, is the first in a series of long awaited petroleum industry laws designed to reform the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

The PIB is an omnibus law, meant to regulate the entire sphere of the industry and repeal all current existing oil and gas legislation.

It struggled to see the light of day in spite of its introduction to the National Assembly over 16 years ago.

Diri, who spoke on a Channel’s Television breakfast current affairs programme  said that three per cent of oil revenue for host communities who suffered devastating effects of exploration and exploitation activities was grossly inadequate and called for an upward review.

He said that prior to Monday’s meeting of the southern states governors in Lagos, the states had been in consultation with relevant stakeholders on their position, which he said was a minimum of 10 per cent of oil revenue to oil producing communities.

According to him, it is unacceptable that a provision of 30 per cent profit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was inserted in the controversial bill for “frontier exploration” in areas that were not clearly specified.

Diri frowned at the definition of oil producing communities and host communities to include areas where pipelines were laid.

He called for a reversal of such proposal, saying it was a time bomb that if not properly addressed, could create avoidable crises.

The governor restated his commitment and that of his colleagues in the Southern Governors Forum to continuous dialogue to resolve issues that bordered on challenges faced by oil producing communities and states.

Responding to a question on open grazing, Diri described cattle rearing as a private business that the states had power to regulate, stressing that there was no going back on the ban of open grazing in Bayelsa, which he said was no longer sustainable.

 

 

 

He stated that the ban was in force in the state since he assented to the bill on March 11, 2021.

On the issue of the governors’ resolve that the president of the country should emerge from the South in 2023, he said although it was a political decision that required consultations and lobby, a president of Southern extraction in the next election would encourage peaceful coexistence.

“Governors did not wait until now to speak on the PIB. Speaking on behalf of my state, we had a position and it was made very clear during the public hearings.

“It is unthinkable and total injustice to allot three per cent to oil producing communities. We stated our position of 10 per cent.

“The definition of host communities or oil producing communities is also worrisome.

“Oil producing communities should not be where pipelines are laid. If the issue of what an oil producing community is, is not addressed, it is a time bomb that can explode.

“The issue of cattle grazing is a commercial, private activity. I do not see why we needed anybody’s opinion to regulate a private activity.

“We have a duty to protect our people. That is why we have state assemblies. In Bayelsa, it already came into effect since March 11, 2021. Open grazing is no longer sustainable. We need to stop it.

“On the issue of Southern presidency, the governors will have to engage in lobby.

“But it is only natural justice for the south to produce the president after President Buhari’s eight years. It is not constitutional but a gentleman’s agreement to encourage cohesion and peaceful coexistence,” Diri said.

Diri said although COVID-19 slowed things down globally, his administration had made appreciable progress in road and infrastructure development, urban renewal of the state capital, Yenagoa, as well as in ensuring peace, unity and reconciliation within the last 16 months of being in office.

He assured that his administration was committed to development of every sector of the state’s economy and called for support from Bayelsa people.

(NAN)

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Business & Economy

Mangal Cement Reiterates Commitment to Consistence Quality, Tightens Relationship with Stakeholders

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The General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Omowunmi Goriola Oduguwa Monday, July 14th, 2025 addresses Annual Stakeholders Forum, Abuja
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By AbdulRahman Obaje

Mangal Cement has reiterate its commitment to consistence quality while reinforcing its relationship with it stakeholders.

The General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Omowunmi Goriola Oduguwa made this known Monday, July 14th, 2025 during this year Annual Stakeholders Forum, Abuja.

Omowunmi said, “We are here today basically because of this title: ‘building stronger partnership, quality trading solution and value for money’. We are here; number one, to tighten the collaboration that we’ve been having with our stakeholders. We know that we’ve been having relationship with you by virtue of the fact that you are partner to our business, you are using our brand; that automatically has clarify the fact that we are in partnership”

”We don’t just want it to be like that, we want it to be tighter, so we want to strengthen that collaboration, we want it to be tighter. That is why we are here and that is why we have invited you to be part of this event.”

“And secondly. We are also here to reaffirm the consistency in quality and innovation. We want to assure you that our quality remain the way it has ever been since inception; since we started production. My colleague said this is first of its kind; I mean the stakeholder forum we are having. But obviously this is first of its kind in Abuja environment. And I want to also appreciate us for being part of this very first one.”, she continued.

Participants also expressed satisfaction with Mangal product. Obastar Block Industry Said the cement is very good. He said, “People should join in using it, we have been using it. The cement is good. We have been using other cements but since we have tried Mangal cement, we have not been disappointed.”

“The only place they need improvement is setting, outside that, the cement is very good.” he concluded.

Olayinka AbdulWahid, IBZA Blocks said, “Mangal cement is very good in terms of quality and durability.

The blocks that we produced with Mangal cement, the customer actually vouch for. I have some few friends that whenever they want to cast, they always request that make Mangal cement available.

So, in terms of quality, it is a very good quality/ the only challenge we have is the availability and most of the time the delivery is very very poor in which sometimes, some of us we are unable to wait. we have to look for alternative product.

But with this seminar we attend today, if we can have access to more of the vendor or more of the distributor, we can have alternative demand.

So, that is the only challenge, the availability.”

However, Omowunmi further revealed that Mangal Industries is not slowing down on innovation and quality assurance, asserting that this is the reason for the forum, so as “to reaffirm our commitment to quality and innovation as an organisation.”, she continued.

The forum saw notable personalities such as Engr. Yusuf Ibrahim, Industrial Training Fund, Silifa Shagaya, SON and others in attendance

High point of the event was the distribution of wheelbarrows and protective gears to all the participants of the stakeholder forum.

 

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Business & Economy

Nigerian Economy Stabilising — CBN Governor, Cardoso

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CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso
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The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, has said the Nigerian economy has stability.
He disclosed this at the press briefing at the end of its 300th Monetary Policy Committee meeting on Tuesday.

According to him, investors’ confidence in the Nigerian economy has improved over the past eighteen months.

Responding to questions on how improved macroeconomic fundamentals of the Nigerian economy are impacting the lives of Nigerians, he said, “Investors do not go to where there is economic instability. They don’t go out to lose money but to make a profit. With that stability comes confidence and then investment and growth.

“What is now being recognised is that the Nigerian economy is not stable. The inflation numbers speak for themselves.”

Recall that the World Bank, in its latest Nigerian Development Update report, said the country is in good shape as it grew by 3.4 percent in 2024.

 

 

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 CBN Retains Nigeria’s Interest At 27.50%

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Yemi Cardoso,CBN Governor
Yemi Cardoso, CBN Governor
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The Central Bank of Nigeria Monetary Policy Committee has retained the country’s interest rate at 27.50 percent.

The governor of CBN, Olayemi Cardoso, disclosed this in a press briefing on Tuesday after the 300th MPC meeting in Abuja.

“The committee unanimously agreed to retain MPR at 27.50 percent,” he stated.

Cardoso also announced that the MPC member decided to retain the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 50 basis points for commercial bank and 16 percent for mortgage bank, the liquidity ratio (LR) at 30 percent, and the asymmetric corridor at +500/-100 basis points around the MPR; other monetary policy decisions were retained.

He justified MPC’s decision to pause the rate hike on the easing of Nigeria’s inflation rate to 23.7 percent in April.

it would be recalled that last week the National Bureau of Statistics consumer price index showed that country’s inflation dropped by 23.7 percent.

In February, the MPC retained the country’s interest rate at 27.50 percent as inflation cooled off.

 

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