•Oppose Planned Resumption of Oil Drill
A Coalition of civil society organization (CSO) has condemned the planned resumption of oil drilling in Ogoni Rivers state, without attending to long standing demands of the community and establishing of standing funds for the region’s environmental degradation.
The group south amongst their demands, sought for establishment of a $1 trillion fund for the cleanup and compensation of affected communities and the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa, executed by the country for advocating for environmental steward- ship by oil majors operating in the community.
The group, a coalition of civil society organisations in Niger Delta, rightly opposed the federal government’s plan to resume oil production and exploration in Ogoniland.
In a statement on Tuesday, the groups condemned the invitation ex- tended to some selected Ogoni leaders from the region by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to attend a private meeting in Abuja.
“It is, however, insensitive for this administration to open any form of discussion with a handpicked group of Ogoni leaders for such talks, noting that the overall will of the majority of Ogonis is paramount in this matter.
“The groups expressed their unequivocal condemnation of the planned resumption of oil exploration and production activities in Ogoniland,” the statement noted.
The groups, which referred to themselves as concerned civil society organisations, issued the statement at the end of their meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The organisations, which signed the statement, include Miideekor Environmental Development Initiative, Ogoni Solidarity Forum-Nigeria, South South Youths Initiative, Peoples Advancement Centre, Environmental Rights Action, Kebetkache women development centre, Social Action, Lekeh Development Centre, Rainbowwatch Development Centre. Others include Kalop Environmental Centre, Pilex Centre, HOMEF, CAPPA, We the People, and HEDA Resource Centre.
The coalition said Mr. Ribadu’s meeting with select Ogoni leaders discussed the proposed resumption of oil activities in the area after many decades of destruction caused by the exploration.
However, the groups said that the meeting excluded the broader Ogoni community and failed to address long-standing grievances over environmental degradation.
The Ogoniland in Rivers State has grappled with environmental devastation from decades of oil production, destroying farmlands and aquatic lives – depriving the people their means of livelihood.
The coalition’s statement noted the environmental damage caused by decades of oil extraction, referencing the 2011 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report, which documented severe pollution of Ogoniland’s land, water, and air.
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