President Bola Tinubu has met with leaders and stakeholders from Ogoniland in Rivers State including Governor, Sim Fubara at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The part of the agenda of the meeting is believed to be on the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland in the oil rich state.
It will be recalled that a coalition of civil society organizations has called for the cleanup of the Niger Delta and payment of compensation to the affected communities.
The civil society organizations called on Federal Government to allocate $1 trillion for the cleanup of the Niger Delta and compensate communities for their lost livelihoods before any resumption of crude oil production.
The demands were made in a joint statement signed by Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), and the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF).
The groups expressed concern over the government’s reported plans to restart oil activities in the region, describing it as a disregard for environmental justice.
The statement also emphasised the historical environmental devastation in Ogoniland, as documented in the 2011 UNEP report, which detailed widespread pollution of land, water, and air.
The coalition criticized the government for failing to fully implement the UNEP recommendations or prioritise the environmental restoration of the area.
Governor Fubara arrived at the meeting accompanied by Senator Lee Maeba. Other members of the delegation include Senators Magnus Abe, Olaka Nwogu, Bennett Birabi Barry, Mpigi, and Joe Poroma, as well as Chief Victor Giadom, Chief Kenneth Kobani, Monsignor Pius Kii, and Leedom Mitee.
Also in attendance are the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari; the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abba; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed; the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh; and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
