Tinubu’s Oil Exploration Plan Will Benefit Ogoniland – Minister

The Minister assures that President Tinubu’s oil exploration agenda is in the best interest of Ogoniland, promising sustainable development and environmental considerations.

Abubakar Momoh, the Minister of Regional Development, stated that President Bola Tinubu is dedicated to advancing Ogoniland’s development. He highlighted various initiatives undertaken by the current administration aimed at improving the lives of its residents.

Momoh believes that President Tinubu has good intentions for Ogoniland, Rivers State.

“The President is a visionary who truly comprehends the sentiments of the populace. Over the past year, Mr. President has held two separate meetings with key leaders from the Ogoni community—including traditional rulers, political figures, religious authorities, and others—all aimed at fostering peace in order to initiate oil exploration in that area,” stated the minister during his appearance on Channels Television’s Newsnight show aired on Monday.

What I’ve observed so far is that the President’s approach is commendable. For example, in the last meeting, he directed the National Security Adviser (NSA) to ensure that all previously opposing groups—those who wouldn’t have sat at the same table before—can now come together for discussions. Once this unity is achieved and peace established, oil exploration can begin. Demonstrating his commitment to inclusiveness and benefiting Ogoni people specifically, less than a week ago he signed into law an establishment of a Federal University of Environment in Ogoniland dedicated solely to addressing environmental issues there.

Momoh mentioned that since the Tinubu government took office, projects have been initiated in Ogoniland, including those that were previously abandoned.

The minister stated, “Furthermore, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) is currently overseeing several initiatives in the region that were nearly at a standstill before this administration took office.”

The kingdom of Ogoniland in Rivers State, which is home to roughly a million residents, has become a symbol of the issues stemming from years of oil and gas exploration and production conducted through a joint venture with Shell.

Following large-scale protests spearheaded by activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and the group known as the Ogoni Nine, Shell ceased production in 1993.

The Nigerian government promised to repair the damage following an assessment of the area by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) a few years ago.

The UN initially estimated that the cleanup would require $1 billion and take five years to complete. The cleanup activities eventually commenced in January 2019.

However, the Federal Government is considering resuming oil exploration in Ogoniland.

This has sparked debates, but some young people in the area have supported the proposal.