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.
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has restated his administration’s commitment to providing more support to security agencies operating in the state.
He stated this on Tuesday when he received heads of security agencies, including Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), Rear Admiral N.M. Madugu, Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ahmed Gaya, and the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 16, Yenagoa, Tolani Alausa, in Government House, Yenagoa.
The Governor assured security agencies across board that his administration would collaborate with them to protect lives and property as well as critical national assets on land and the waterways by providing patrol vehicles, boats and other necessary logistics.
He informed the new OPDS Commander that the task force had a responsibility to protect critical national, state and community assets contributing not only to the daily oil production output for the federal government but also to development and growth of the state.
The Governor stressed that the partnership between the state government and the task force had ensured that crime rate in the state was reduced.
“As a government, we are working round the clock with the security agencies so that our people can sleep with their two eyes closed and also ensure that national assets are safe for the benefit of the people and the government.
“Often, it is misconstrued as though these assets are only for the federal government. Rather, they are for the state, communities and the federal government. So we must work hand-in-gloves to ensure they are safe.
“Therefore, it is our responsibility to always ensure that these critical national, state and community assets are kept safe”, he said.
Responding to the request of the Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ahmed Gaya, the Governor stated that he had signed the Certificate of Occupancy of the land allocated to the Nigerian Navy at the New Yenagoa and approved a secondary school at Toru-Ebeni in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
He said the State Government was waiting for the naval authorities to commence development of the land.
The new JTF Commander, Rear Admiral Madugu, stated that the visit was to formally introduce himself and to solicit the government’s support to achieve his aim of protecting the critical oil and gas facilities in his area of operation and fulfil the presidential mandate of increasing oil production to 2.5mbpd.
While promising to work with the Nigerian Police to maintain peace in the state, Diri admonished AIG Tolani to be repentant and be more professional in his duties having attained a top position in the force.
The Governor, who recalled the role Tolani played when he was Commissioner of Police in the state during the 2023 governorship election, said: “Let bygone be bygone and work according to your conscience. Ensure that you are repentant and do what is right. Your zone covers Bayelsa and Rivers states and let the interest of both states be uppermost on your mind.”
On disputes among community youth associations, the state’s helmsman wielded the big stick and announced the dissolution of such body in Famgbe Community in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
He directed the Commissioner for Youth Development, working with the Commissioner of Police, to ensure a proper election is held in the community.
Diri also warned that traditional rulers whose communities were embroiled in conflicts would be sanctioned.
“Every other feuding community, including Ogboinbiri, we are still watching you. I have told all traditional rulers, if you cannot ensure peace in your domain but waiting for my wrath to dangle on you, then both traditional rulers and youth bodies will be sacrificed”, Diri said.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa
The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has said no profession in the health sector was superior to others, saying there was need for cooperation among workers in every health facility to achieve optimal results.
He stated this during a courtesy visit by the Bayelsa branch of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) to his office in Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.
He assured that a good number of certified and competent medical laboratory scientists, as well as other medical and health practitioners would be employed based on the needs assessment indices at government’s disposal in the ongoing civil service recruitment exercise.
While appreciating their contributions to quality healthcare service delivery, he said government was ready to collaborate with the Association and other critical stakeholders in the sector to make health services more affordable and accessible to people of the state.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, said the current recruitment drive was aimed at addressing manpower needs in some critical sectors, including health, to improve service delivery in the state.
“We’re making progress in the health sector in Bayelsa. But we also admit that there is still much room for improvement.
“As you’re aware, applicants are applying to the state civil service, and some employment slots have been approved for Medical Doctors and Laboratory Scientists to be employed.
“We need competent and highly qualified personnel to be employed into the service to provide quality services.
“Every health worker has a role in health promotion. No profession in the health sector is superior to another. We are ready to collaborate with you to make health services more affordable and accessible to all Bayelsans”, he said.
Earlier in her presentation, the State Chairman of the AMLSN, Eunice Ayamaere Lelei, said there was need for government to employ more qualified laboratory scientists, and provide modern laboratory equipment in all its medical facilities across the state.
Lelei, who emphasized that laboratory scientists play a critical role in healthcare services in Nigeria, called for the implementation of the approved call duty allowance for members of the Association, and funding support for their Mandatory Professional Continuing Development programmes.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa