Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has presented its position on the the Bill for an Act to provide Legal, Governance, Regulatory and Fiscal Framework for the Nigeria Petroleum Industry, the Development of Host Community and other Related Matters (HB.1061) – AKA PIB Bill.
The group thanked the leadership of the House of Representatives, in particular the Chairman House Ad-hoc Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill for the opportunity to present to them to air their position on the PIB Bill.
Its Executive Director, David Anyaele, made the presentation at the Public Hearing at National Assembly.
He said the group believes that PIB provide an uncommon opportunity to write the wrongs against persons with disabilities in the Niger Delta.
According to him, observation by the group shows that oil and gas explorations in Nigeria are conducted at the detriment of persons with disabilities
He says they are concerned that virtually all the support given to host communities by reason of oil and gas explorations are not accessible to persons with disabilities and they are not consulted, neither are their issues mainstreamed in the conversation.
In his word, the group is worried that when pollution occurs in the Niger Delta, it is people with disabilities that suffers most.
Painfully, the activities and contaminants being pushed into the environment as a result of oil and gas explorations in the Niger Delta region, sometime leads to still birth and birth with different from of disability (hearing disorder, blindness, physical challenged etc.)
Therefore, It is justice for all to demand that the Bill for an Act to provide Legal, Governance, Regulatory and Fiscal Framework for the Nigeria Petroleum Industry, the Development of Host Community and other Related Matters (HB.1061) provide a certain percentage of not less than 5% of projects and activities should therefore be set aside for the benefit of persons with disabilities in the Host Community Development Trust Fund.
CCD proposed the amendment of the following sections in the Bill to read as follows:
242: (a) Settler shall ensure that members of the Board of Trustees are inclusive of women and persons with disabilities
(a.i.b) three representatives, women, person with disability inclusive of the Host Community, who shall be nominated by the Host Community as non-executive members.
3(a.i.b) consulted with and considered the reasonable concerns of women, youths, persons with disabilities and Community leaders
We request that you add (h) to read as follows: ensure that all initiatives are inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.