Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday concluded a high-level closed-door meeting with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, and a delegation of Ogoni leaders, raising expectations of the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.
The meeting, held at the Council Chamber of the State House, included prominent Ogoni figures such as Senators Lee Maeba, Magnus Abe, Bennett Birabi, Barry Mpigi, Olaka Nwogu, Victor Giadom, Kenneth Kobani, Legborsi Pyagbara, environmental advocate Ledum Mitee, etc.
Also present were National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, and NNPC Limited Group CEO Mele Kyari, among others.
Though the agenda was not officially disclosed, the discussions are believed to have revolved around the restarting oil production in Ogoni, which has been on hold for decades due to environmental concerns and community conflicts.
The Federal Government has repeatedly expressed concerns about the economic impact of the halted oil exploration in Ogoniland.
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society organisations has condemned the plans to resume oil exploration without addressing the environmental and social fallout of past operations.
The coalition, including Health of Mother Earth Foundation, We The People, Social Action and Peoples Advancement Centre, is demanding $1 trillion in clean-up and compensation before production resumes.
Their statement cited the 2011 UNEP report, which documented severe environmental degradation in Ogoniland, with widespread pollution of land, water, and air caused by years of oil exploration. They criticized the Federal Government’s move as dismissive of environmental justice and community welfare.
