There was a rowdy session on the floor of the House of Representatives yesterday following questions as to whether or not to admit the minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu into the chamber to keep an appointment with the lawmakers on the raging fallouts of the fuel price hike as announce by the federal government earlier.
Gbajabiamila had moved a motion to admit the minister into the chamber for an interactive session on the new price regime, but members of the PDP kicked against it, chanting “all we are saying, save Nigeria,” as they waved the country’s flag, thus preventing Kachikwu from coming into the chamber.
The rowdy session lasted for about 30 minutes, a development the speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara described as the beauty of democracy, before yielding the floor to the minority leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, to move for the House to go into an executive session, which was adopted through a voice vote.
The House reconvened later admitting the minister into its chamber.
In his presentation, Kachikwu said the new fuel price regime would encourage massive investment in infrastructure by attracting foreign directive investment (FDI) in the country.
He explained that the new price would encourage foreign investors to focus on the big tickets such as pipelines and refineries for the development of the upstream oil and gas sectors.
According to him, it will also increase refining capacity of the domestic refineries through relocation and co-relocating smaller but cost efficient refineries with a time frame of 12 to 24 months.
“It will focus on restoring upstream production, by positively engaging host communities to put the current militancy to an end once and for all,” he said.
Meanwhile, the house yesterday constituted a 17-member ad hoc committee to interface with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, stakeholders and civil society organisations …Read More
Source:: Nigerian Pilot
