News:
October 18, 2010
As Parliament resumes sitting today, the leadership of the House is asking government to review the two petroleum bills.
The two bills are the Petroleum Revenue Management and the Petroleum Exploration and Production bills.
Civil society organisations have raised concerns about aspects of the bills relating to transparency and accountability, the body to manage revenue from the oil and gas, and award of contracts for exploration.
MPs from eight committees of Parliament have been discussing the bills at a workshop in Koforidua.
Majority leader, Cletus Avoka told Joy News aspects of the bills need to be relooked at.
“Having regard to our recent experience in the mining sector where environmental issues have been a serious challenge, we have observed that the provisions relating to environmental issues in the bill are highly inadequate,” he stated.
Mr. Avoka stressed the need for the bills to be drawn in a manner that ensures the country avoids the experience of the Niger Delta situation in Nigeria.
The Minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said passing the bills may delay because government delayed in presenting them before the house.
He said the House will do all it can to pass the bills because some projected oil revenues have been incorporated in next year’s budget.
Source:joy news