Reps agreed to serve Shell’s interest on petroleum bill

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3 September 2011

Reps agreed to serve Shell’s interest on petroleum bill

A United States secret diplomatic cables made public recently by WikiLeaks provides evidence that Nigeria’s House of Representatives may have approved to represent the interest of international oil companies on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The latest classified American cables, posted on the anti-government secrecy campaigner’s website last week, contains evidence that officials of oil major, Shell, secured assurances from the leadership of the House, that should the Senate pass an expected “bad bill”, the House would make necessary reviews in favour of the IOCs.

One document quotes a top official of Shell as assuring the then US ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Sanders in 2009, while appraising the crucial bill, that “We aren’t worried,” even if the senate passes an unfavourable version of the bill (as the company actually excepted), since “we are working with the House and the House appears to want to work with us.”