By Nicholas Kalu, Abuja

The House of Representatives has condemned the scuffle which broke out between participants from the host communities at the public hearing of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) on Thursday.

Spokesperson of the House, Benjamin Kalu, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, said the development was contemptuous and constituted a breach of the sanctity of the House.

Kalu said the 9th House of Representatives was predicated upon the tenet of nation-building as a joint task and their compliance with the due process of public hearings is a manifestation of their commitment to that tenet.

He said: “Public hearings are a critical aspect of law-making. They are an opportunity to invite views from critical stakeholders on legislative interventions and are not an opportunity for virulent altercations or physical combat.

“Therefore, the House will not hesitate to ensure the arrest and prosecution of any offender who perpetrates a similar occurrence in the future.

“Within the chambers of this great institution of democracy, and indeed in all parts of Nigeria, we must learn to deliberate and resolve our differences with the grace, dignity and mutual respect that democracy demands.

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‘The deliberation of the PIB is to provide legal backing and protection for the development of host communities and for the collective good of the nation; a balance of interest between stakeholders of the petroleum sector.

“Therefore, our ability to dissent peacefully and our ability to treat each other with dignity and respect even in the face of disagreement will play a key role in determining the success of one of the ideals for which this legislation is being considered; that grievance can be properly addressed without violence and chaos in our host communities.

“The House remains on track to pass the PIB by April 2021, mindful that the legislation will reinvigorate the petroleum industry and promote economic growth in the host communities and the nation at large.”