Niger Delta
OML 11: Ogonis Reject NPDC’s Operatorship …As 19 Communities Seek Relocation Before Oil Resumption
Towards resumption of oil production in Ogoniland in Rivers State, Ogoni Oil Producing Communities Forum (OOPCF), yesterday, reaffirmed rejection of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) as licensed operator to drive renewed exploration and production operations in the area.
This is as leaders of 19 oil host communities in Ogoniland, Rivers State, have called on the Federal Government to relocate all host communities and oil-impacted homes to another settlement before any environmental activities and oil and gas business could be carried out.
Harping on reservations against reported granting of the OML 11 Operating License to NPDC, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), OOPCF noted that though it was not opposed to resumed oil and gas production operations in Ogoni, but argued that apart from the fact that NPDC lacks the capacity to oversee such responsibility, it has also not consulted widely with all stakeholders in the area.
In a statement signed by OOPCF’s President, Barituka Loanyie;and Secretary, Norcross Wifa; the Ogonis said: “We make bold to say that as a company, NPDC does not have any capacity to exploit oil and gas, and has no requisite pedigree of good corporate social responsibility (CSR). Indeed, communities where they have operated have stories of woes”.
In further reservations, the body said, “President MuhammaduBuhari declared to some visiting Ogonis at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that NNPC is hereby directed to engage all host communities, particularly Ogoni people to ensure inclusive process of oil and gas exploration and production is anchored on optimum involvement of host communities.
“The president’s stance which seems to recognise the need for dialogue, inclusiveness and the involvement of host communities in the oil and gas exploration and production processes, falls flat when we realise our people were neither consulted nor carried along in the processes that led to the granting of the operating license to the NPDC.
“After due and thorough consultation with the youths, leaders, elders and chiefs of the oil and gas host communities in Ogoni, we hereby state that the granting of the operating license to the NPDC is unacceptable and stands rejected.
“We reiterate that our people are not against resumption of oil and gas exploration in Ogoni as, if properly done, it could help stimulate some economic growth and empowerment for the people. We are, however, against any plan to re-enter Ogoniland for oil exploration through the back door.
“Such approach had failed in the past and will fail again this time. Granting of oil mining license to any company to operate in Ogoni without due consultation and peaceful engagement with our people is completely unacceptable.The Ogoni people would non-violently resist it. We have done it before, and we can do it again.
“Federal Government is hereby advised to retrace her steps and do the right thing in the interest of peace, equity, and justice. We also advice our people to be conscious of our recent history and always seek and obtain broad consultations and buy in of different layers of Ogonileadership, including the oil-bearing communities before embarking on what has become recurring visits to Abuja to reach ‘Agreements’ over oil resumption in Ogoni when, in fact, they represent only themselves.”
Similarly, leaders of 19 oil host communities in Ogoniland, Rivers State, have called on the Federal Government to relocate all host communities and oil-impacted homes to another settlement before any environmental activities and oil and gas business could be carried out.
The host communities made this known in a letter sent to President MuhammaduBuhari, after a meeting of leaders of oil host communities held in Bera, Gokana Local Government Area of the state, and signed by the leaders of the oil host communities in Bera.
President of Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI), Douglas Fabeke, who read the letter on behalf of the host communities, said the call was vital due to the high level of environmental degradation in Ogoniland.
Fabeke said they were ready to withdraw all pending cases in court over various degrees of injuries meted out to Ogoniland and its people, if the Federal Government demonstrates sincerity of purpose in the implementation of their requests, including payment of compensation, and inclusion of all stakeholders in the process.
The letter reads in parts: “Besides, the host communities shall include in the final draft, the following developmental and impactful areas for Mr. President’s implementation, namely scholarship, TrustFund, payment of compensation.
“Demonstration of practical steps for restoration of our polluted environment and development of the land through complete and total implementation of UNEP report’s recommendations, including the emergency measures, which are neglected by the ongoing clean up exercise.
“Relocation of all host communities and impacted homes to another well settled location because of the high level of environmental degradation, before any environmental activities and oil and gas business should be carried.
“That the host communities and Ogoni Liberation Initiative are ready to withdraw all pending cases in courts over various decrees of injuries meted out to the Ogoniland and her people, if the government actually demonstrates sincerity of purpose in the implementation all our requests, including payment of compensation benefits.
“That the government should take cognizance of the fact that since the invasion of Shell in Ogoniland in 1958, we have suffered tremendously without commensurate pay for our tapped natural economic resources.
“Therefore, we appeal to the president to fulfill his words, thus, ‘Commitment to ensuring clemency and national integration as part of his administration’s bid to lay the foundation for genuine reconciliation and bring closure to the issues of Ogoniland’.”
The OLI boss, while speaking on the flag-off of green energy revolution project, said 100 Ogoni youths are expected to be trained on production of green energy.
He disclosed that the training of the youths in green energy would reduce youth restiveness and also curb air/noise pollution caused by generators.
According to him, the project was designed to provide power without the use of petrol and the company is expected to manufacture their solar products in Ogoni.
Highlight of the event was the flag-off of green energy revolution project in collaboration with Sun Energy Community Development Initiative.
By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Michael Abraham
The Natural Ruler and Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, Edward I, Perekule XI, has hailed the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, for recognising indigenes of his community through conferment of honours.
He also congratulated Bonny indigenes who were conferred with the Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State (DSSRS) award by the Rivers State Government.
The awardees are Chairman of Bonny Local Government Council, Alabota Anengi Dagogo Claude-Wilcox; Amaopusenibo Rodaford Longjohn; Amaopusenibo Kingsley Fubara Hart; Hon. George Fubara Tolofari; Hon. Aye Atamah Pepple; Hon. Christopher Green; and Hon. Abinye Blessing Pepple.
The monarch also expressed gratitude to Wike and the state government for finding Bonny indigenes worthy of such recognition.
In a statement, the monarch, who had also been honoured by the Rivers State Government for his contributions to the development of Nigeria and Rivers State, said the award would motivate the recipients and others to put more efforts towards making Rivers State the cynosure of all eyes. He used the opportunity to appreciate the former governor, for his outstanding achievements, while praying that the present Governor, Amaopusenibo Siminialayi Fubara, who is an Ibani son, would surpass his accomplishments.
The Paramount Ruler, who was present at the presentation of the awards, prayed for more successes in their political careers and other endeavours, and hoped that they would continue to be good ambassadors of Bonny Kingdom.
Residents of Cross River State have appealed to the new governor of the state, Sen. Bassey Otu, to enthrone good governance in the state as he assumes office.
The residents who spoke with The Tide source during the inauguration of Otu said with the present situation in the state, it was important for the new governor to hit the ground running.
Former Commissioner for Health in the state, Mrs Janet Ekpenyong said the residents are very hopeful that the governor would perform and succeed in his endeavour.
“I hope that as Otu assumes office, he will bring on some people who will give him the necessary and explicit support that he requires to move the state forward.
“There is a huge gap of human resources in the state’s health sector; although, the former governor started the process of recruiting more hands, we expect the governor to bring in more competent hands to bridge the gap.
“He should also focus on the the renovation of our health facilities especially those at the secondary level and also ensure that there is enough commodities and drugs to cater for residents of the state,” she said.
Ekpenyong added that there was also need to invest and expand the state’s health insurance scheme as it was a low hanging fruit and would bridge healthcare gap in the state.
Similarly Mr Jackson Bassey said although the new governor might have a good heart but he needed to stand his ground with the will power to do the right thing.
Mrs Ikaete Anang said the people were tired of long speeches without action from their elected officials assign that what they wanted was performance.
Anang called on the new governor of the state to try his best in assuaging the suffering of the people of the state, especially the women.
“We need to make Cross River viable, clean and green again so that the people can rejoice; it has been a painful last four years and we must tell ourselves the truth,” she maintained.
The source reports that the inauguration of the the governor of Cross River took place at a packed UJ Esuene Stadium with colourful cultural troupes and many dignitaries in attendance.
A delegation of Global South scholars and activists are embarking on a lobbying and advocacy tour of European capitals to discuss the urgent issue of an ecosocial energy transition.
The seven participants are following up on a global manifesto published this year decrying a new Green colonialism and urging more equitable approaches to achieving a fossil-free future.
Miss Kome Odhomor, Media/Communications Lead at Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), said this in a statement on Monday in Yenagoa.
HOMEF, a Nigeria based environmental group is a participating member of the coalition of groups making up the delegation.
The delegation will hold public events, meet with policymakers and NGOs, and engage with members of the media in Berlin, Brussels, and London from May 29 to June 2.
According to her, the mission of the delegation is to inject Global South perspectives into current European policy discussions around energy and environment.
“The delegation will include the Right Livelihood award winner, a Nigerian activist Nnimmo Bassey, widely published Argentine sociologist and philosopher Maristella Svampa, the Fijian international human rights lawyer Kavita Naidu and Indian activist-researcher Madhuresh Kumar.
“Others are Brazilian-Spanish activist-scholar Breno Bringel, Venezuelan linguist and ecofeminist Liliana Buitrago, and South African-Swedish scholar-activist Vasna Ramasar.
“The tour is organized by the Ecosocial and Intercultural Pact of the South, the Global Just Transition project of the Institute for Policy Studies, and the Global Tapestry of Alternatives,” she said.
She said that while in Germany, the delegation would in Berlin, meet the press in the morning of Tuesday and hold a public event co-sponsored by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung at 5 pm (Str. der Pariser Kommune.)
She said that in Brussels, Maristella Svampa would participate in a public event “The Green Transition and Critical Minerals” on May 30 at 12:30 at CCND.
“Also in Brussels, on May 31, the delegation will meet with NGOs at Mundo-madou at noon co-sponsored by Oikos.
“The itinerary further shows that in the evening of May 31 in Brussels, the delegation will hold a public event at 6 pm co-sponsored by Broederlijk Delen at GEC in Ghent (Kon. Maria Hendrikaplein.
“In London, the delegation will meet with NGOs on June 1 beginning at 1 pm at Kairos House,The Bookroom, Essex Hall, 1-6 Essex Street.
“While on June 2, in London, there will be a public event at Pelican House at 6 pm (144 Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green).”