News
Oil Exploration Resumes In Ogoni Soon …As Belema Oil Replaces Shell
Ogoni stakeholders have endorsed Belema Oil Producing Limited, an indigenous oil and gas company to take over operation and ownership of Shell OML 11 in Ogoni land.
The resolution of the stakeholders was contained in a communiqué at the end of a meeting held by oil bearing communities in Ogoniland at the Palace of the Gbenemene Tai, and Chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, King G.N.K. Gininwa.
The communiqué, which was read by the Paramount Ruler of Ogale Community in Eleme Local Government Area, Chief Godwin Bebe Okpabi, stated that, “We have resolved and hereby endorse to, and have partnered with Belema Oil Producing Limited for the takeover, operation and ownership of Shell OML 11 in Ogoniland. The Ogoni people have suffered enough in the hands of strange and imperial oil companies, and have now chosen to experience a new dispensation of recognition, partnership and development as contained in Belema Oil Producing Limited, strategy agreement proposed”.
The communiqué also stated that, “The key to Ogoni oil has been released to Belema Oil Producing Limited and Ogonis shall not accept any other company or process that will impose another imperial oil operator on the people”.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation of Ogoni oil bearing communities at the meeting, Chief Gilbert Warinehad declared that the resolution was the outcome of due consultation with relevant stakeholders, over the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni and a replacement for Shell.
In his remarks, the Paramount Ruler of K-Dere Community in Gokana LGA, Chief Donald Gberesu, said the leadership of the oil-bearing communities was unanimous in the endorsement of Belema Oil to resume oil exploration in Ogoniland.
The royal father called on the Federal Government, world investor finance groups, United Nations, human rights support groups and other relevant stakeholders to support the initiative.
In his speech, the chief host and Gbenemene of Tai Kingdom, King G.N.K. Gininwa, described the event as historic, and commended the peaceful resolution on the issue.
Gininwa decried the fact that Ogoni has been a victim of oil politics in Nigeria, and expressed hope that the new development will enable the people to have a stake in the management of their natural resources.
The royal father also expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in the implementation of the UNEP report recommendations on Ogoniland, and called on the Federal Government to expedite action on the matter.
Also speaking, the Secretary General of Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Mr. DineBari Dube said MOSOP was happy over the initiative, and assured that MOSOP would monitor the process and policy implementation to ensure that it conforms to the stipulations of the Ogoni Bill of Rights.
In attendance were, representatives of the Federation of Ogoni Women Organisation (FOWO) and Youths representatives from the four Ogoni LGAs of, Eleme, Khana, Gokana and Tai LGAs.
Taneh Beemene
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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