By Adeola Tukuru
Abuja
Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) have raised concern over N120 million proposed in the 2018 budget for the passage of Petroleum Industry Reform Bill.
According to the Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa, who spoke on behalf of the coalition of CSOs said it was an indication that the Executive is not ready to pass the bill.
The CISLAC helmsman said the AES cluster also observed that the intent behind the proposal to expand N610 million on the implementation of the 7 Big Wins, including the sum of N200 million for oil and gas reforms in 2018 was suspicious.
Auwal said “We lament that we are approaching the year 2018 and with elections already set for February 2019, leaving this government with practically six months of governance.
“It is becoming glaring that the 7 Big wins may end up as another reform cloud that bears no rain.
“We also wish to remind the government, which is in dire need of funds, consistently operated a budget deficit band depended heavily on borrowing to finance its budget, that a nation is estimated to have lost estimates amounting to billions of Dollars or trillions of Naira in investments in the past 5 years .
“We find it strange that despite making it a promise during the campaigns and with repeated pronouncements by both the Executive and legislative that is dominated by same party, the PIB remains elusive with barely one year left in life of this administration,” he said.
