The Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to find a middle ground on the percentage for the host communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) passed by the National Assembly.
The president of the NIESV, Chief Emmanuel Okas Wike, made the call yesterday in Abuja at the first Council meeting of the 2021/2022 National Council Year.
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Daily Trust reports that the National Assembly approved 3 per cent for host communities’ fund as against the 10 per cent requested by local communities.
“We implored Mr President to find a middle ground on this by ensuring that the people’s will prevail since they are the ones bearing the brunt of oil exploration,” Wike said.
.The NIESV president urged the National Assembly to iron out all the contentious areas in the bill before transmitting it for the president’s assent.
“We also urge the government to muster enough political will to implement the bill to the letter. This is good for the sector in delivering on statutory function and its mandate,” Wike added.
He said that the minister’s proposed monthly rent by property owners as against the three years rent collection which has made affordable homes inaccessible for Nigerians in urban centres, is a serious matter that must be addressed.
“As a major stakeholder in the Housing sector, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers view the suggestion of the Minister from a different perspective. The Institution intends to visit him as soon as possible to deliberate and harmonize positions on the matter.
“The Institution shall in addition endeavour to undertake the enumeration of wasting and abandoned properties, some of which belongs to government at various levels, with recommendations on what could be done with them,” he said.
Also speaking on insecurity, Wike, lament that the worsening insecurity in the country is more worrisome in that the solutions to it have so far been elusive.
“We are deeply worried over the continuous loss of lives and properties across the country. From terrorism to kidnapping, banditry and farmer-herder conflict, and mindless killing of innocent Nigerians almost on a daily basis, the situation is indeed appalling.
“A more dangerous dimension was recently introduced to the protracted issue, and that is clashes between security agencies and local insurgents in the South East, leading to the killing of several policemen and other security personnel.
“The escalation of clashes between security agencies and local insurgents call for rethink of strategies by the government on how to combat the security challenges across the country.
“We suggest the government and the security agencies should be more proactive via a well coordinated intelligence gathering.
“We implore the government to be more engaging with the aim of addressing as much as possible, the most pressing problems of hunger, unemployment and poverty in the land,” Wike said.
While appealing to Nigerians to complement government efforts at restoring peace and security by playing their roles in lowering the tension in the polity, he also said that the farmers/herders clashes should be addressed by the establishment of ranches, grazing reserves with modern amenities as lasting solution.
He said, “We appeal to all Nigerians to continue to support our security agencies, who today face the added task of having to watch their backs while working to protect us. The least we can do is to give them our unalloyed support.”
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