Former President Goodluck Jonathan don talk say Nigeria no get correct law wey fit protect her people when dem first discover oil for di country for 1956. Dis kain mistake don affect Nigeria development till today.
Jonathan yarn dis one for Champions of Nigerian Content Awards Dinner wey happen for Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. E talk say di way Nigeria take manage oil matter from beginning no make sense.
E even remember one Ugandan wey tell am how dem no rush sign oil agreement with foreign companies. Dem first build law and train people well before dem open hand to outsiders, unlike Nigeria. Jonathan say because Nigeria no put law for ground that time, na foreign people come dey control our oil matter for many years.
“If to say we get correct law from beginning, Nigeria for don far now. But we no get am,” Jonathan talk. E mention di Mineral Oil Ordinance of 1886 and 1914 as di first laws wey concern oil, but e say Nigerians no really get hand for how dem write those laws. Na until 1969 — 13 years after oil show face and almost 10 years after independence — Nigeria come bring Petroleum Act wey now be di backbone of our oil industry.
Jonathan also talk about how him government try involve Nigerians for oil and gas work. Na di waka wey e go China for 2000, when e be Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, make am open eye. For Daqing, one big oil town for China, dem show am how dem dey make their own oil tools and do things by themselves.
E say even though Nigeria discover oil for 1956 and China for 1958, by 2000 China don build strong oil industry, but Nigeria never reach anywhere. Dis matter pain am and na why e support the Nigerian Content Bill, wey later become Local Content Act for April 2010. Na Senator Lee Maeba originally carry di bill come as private bill, and Jonathan say e happy to sign am.
“Di reason why I sign that law for April 2010 na because of wetin I see for China that time,” Jonathan talk. E say the Local Content Act help correct many problems for di oil sector and help make sure say more Nigerians dey benefit from di oil wey dem get for their own land.
