RSG Denies Interest In Acquiring OML 25

The Rivers State Government has debunked claims that it has interest in acquiring Oil Mining Lease (OML) 25 in Kula, Akoko-Toru Local Government Area of the State is untrue.
The state government has also denied having any percentage of revenue accruable to it in Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC)’s planned resumption of operations in OML 25.
The Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Dr. Tammy Danagogo, made the denial at the weekend while speaking on a live radio programme in Port Harcourt, monitored by The Tide, government was only concerned with providing the right atmosphere for business to thrive.
“As a government, there is no interest or desire in getting percentage in OML 25. That is not true. It cannot be true by any stretch of the imagination. The situation in OML 25 is not something that the Court is auctioning. No! It is owned by somebody,” he stated.
Danagogo, a former Minister of Sports, said no responsible government would fold its arms and watch a multinational oil corporation maltreat host communities or give room for anarchy arising from undue hostilities by host communities to business firms.
The SSG reaffirmed the commitment of the state government towards protecting the overall interest of Rivers people and to engender peaceful coexistence.
On the accreditation of private schools in the State, Dr. Danagogo explained that the state government remained resolute to promote quality assurance in the education sector, noting that there is no witch hunt in the exercise.
Answering questions on the state of the government owned media houses on the State SSG promised to inform Governor Nyesom Wike on the issues with a view to revamping them.
He said, “If you want to solve the problem, it is not just about pumping in money. It is about getting it right. If you pump in money and you still don’t get the fundamentals right, we will get back to where we are now”.
Dr. Danagogo further said it was necessary that the government look at the structures, the fundamentals and the management, as well as how these places are operated before putting money in the state media houses.

By: Dennis Naku