President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday forwarded the final draft copy of the long-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to the National Assembly for onward passage into law.
This ends the anxiety generated by the document, following an alarm raised by the Presidency that fake versions of the bill were being circulated and published in some online papers.
Petroleum Resources Minister, Deziani Allison Madueke, who gave the hint while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, noted that what was sent to the National Assembly yesterday was the authentic copy of the bill.
She also disclosed that the PIB contained some security features to guard against circulation of fake copies.
Brandishing what she termed the definitive Petroleum Industry Bill before journalists, the minister said soft copy version of the PIB document would be available on the website of the Petroleum Ministry later in the evening of yesterday.
She said “There is no other Petroleum Industry Bill for 2012. We have seen various adaptations appearing in the media, particularly online, that did not come from the Federal Government of Nigeria and we are unaware of who posted them on these sites.
“There is only one Petroleum Industry Bill 2012 which has been sent today to the National Assembly and will be available on the Ministry of Petroleum Resources site by this evening for downloading.
“You will notice that inside the bill there are water marks including a sign across each page that says the Petroleum Industry Bill for 2012 and the Coat of Arms of the nation and this is the only Petroleum Industry Bill that we have produced. All other versions or adaptations are not valid and will never be. I would like all Nigerians to please take note,” the minister added.