Worried about the shortness of the time given for the public hearing on the Petroleum Industries Bill, a non-governmental organization, Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action) in collaboration with Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), is organizing a, Communities and Civil Society Consultation Meeting on Petroleum Industries Bill, to critically look at possible ways to improve it.

The meeting, scheduled to hold from Friday 27th to Saturday 28th November, 2009 in Yenagoa will draw participants from host communities, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the academia and top government functionaries.

A statement by the Programmes Officer, Comrade Celestine Akpobari, indicates that the Consultative Meeting will provide the Niger Delta communities and their representative organisations the opportunity for informed self-assessment of the Bill and to air their views and opinions since they are the ones who bear the brunt of oil extraction activities.

Akppobari observed that  most of the discussions  on the Bill have addressed production and commercial aspects of the petroleum industry and lamented the exclusion of issues of immediate concern to oil bearing communities, such as resource control and environmental management, adding that a public hearing on a bill, which directly affects a group of people could not be held in their communities but would be taken  to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, where the affected people could not participate or be adequately represented.

According to him, a communiqué representing the views and contributions of civil societies actors, community leaders and stakeholders shall be presented to the Nigerian public, National Assembly and the presidency at the end of the two-day meeting.

For: Social Action

Tonye Dappa
08072185280