Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) has called for a provision in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to ensure the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other regulatory commissions have their headquarters in the Niger Delta.
The group also wants 10% equity in NNPC as part of compensation to the region for over 60 years of neglect.
Speaking on behalf of the group at the Senate Public hearing on the PIB on Monday; Dr. Benjamin Tamaranebi stated that the demand is based on 60 years of bearing the brunt of the negative impacts of exploration and exploitation.
ALSO READ: PIB: Gender activist asks Senate to remove “he/his/him” in draft legislation
“The Location of all the Headquarters of the Commissions; Authorities and the NNPC Limited should be established in the Oil and Gas Producing States as a minimum demand.”
He added that, “Today, some states have started discovering and enjoying their natural resources. But the Producing states and HostCom are not envious of them therefore our position is sacrosanct. It will be very absurd and economically very illogical to deprive HostCom the right to equity shareholding; in both the establishment of the NNPC Limited, the Commission, the Authority and the Boards.
“Rather than attempt to sell performing equity as stated in the 2020 PIB; no equity/asset is performing more than our Oil and Gas reserves. This quest to take over complete control of all our national assets by a very unpatriotic few has to stop.”
