Tinubu Meets Ogoni Leaders, Rivers Governor Over Clean-Up and Oil Exploration in Ogoniland
Tinubu Meets Ogoni Leaders, Rivers Governor Over Clean-Up and Oil Exploration in Ogoniland
President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with a delegation of Ogoni leaders led by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Governor Fubara arrived with key stakeholders, including Senators Lee Maeba, Magnus Abe, Olaka Nwogu, and Bennett Birabi. Other members of the delegation include Chief Victor Giadom, Chief Kenneth Kobani, Monsignor Pius Kii, Leedom Mitee, and Joe Poroma.
Also in attendance are the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari; Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abba; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed; Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh; and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Although the agenda of the meeting was not disclosed, it is believed to focus on the Ogoni clean-up project and the potential resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.
This follows demands by a coalition of civil society organizations, which called for a $1 trillion allocation from the Federal Government for the cleanup of the Niger Delta and compensation for the loss of livelihoods before any resumption of crude oil production in Ogoniland.
In a statement signed by organizations such as Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), and Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), the coalition expressed concerns about the government’s plans to restart oil production in the region.
The group criticized the move, citing it as a disregard for environmental justice and emphasizing the historical environmental degradation caused by oil activities in Ogoniland. They referenced the 2011 UNEP report, which documented widespread pollution of land, water, and air in the area.
The coalition expressed disappointment over the government’s failure to fully implement the UNEP recommendations or prioritize the cleanup and restoration of the region.
