Nigeria, Jan. 26 -- As the National Assembly begins public hearing for the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) is demanding 10 per cent equity shareholding.

The group which said they are the host, directly impacted communities and the mouthpiece of the grass-root communities producing Oil and Gas, said it is what they deserve after 60 years of marginalisation and bearing the brunt of the negative impacts of exploration and exploitation.

The national president of the group, Benjamin Tamaranebi, made this known during his presentation at the hearing of the PIB.

The bill which was transmitted to the National Assembly last year, seeks to among other things, scrap the Nigerian Natio...