
Ugolor to Tinubu: Finish Ogoni Clean-up, Restore Environment before Exploring New Oil
- Says mismanagement and poor governance stalling N-Delta devt
Port Harcourt, Nigeria. February 4, 2025…. EXECUTIVE Director of Africa Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Rev. David Ugolor, has advised President Bola Tinubu to conclude the clean-up of Ogoni land in Rivers State and restore the environment polluted by the oil companies before talking about resuming oil exploration in the Niger-Delta terrain.
Rev. Ugolor, who reacted to the recent meeting of President Tinubu with select leaders of Rivers State in Abuja, said: “The UNEP Report highlighted the severe environmental degradation in Ogoni land. While cleanup efforts are ongoing, they are far from satisfactory. The priority should be completing the clean-up and fully restoring the environment before discussing crude oil drilling.”
His words: “Rushing into exploration without addressing environmental concerns undermines the well-being of the people and may put a perpetual end to the ongoing clean-up process.”
President Tinubu invited Ogoni leaders to Abuja to rekindle oil exploration after many years. Can you say he is walking the right path?
Dialogue is a step in the right direction. Engaging stakeholders is essential for rebuilding trust and addressing historical grievances. However, the government must ensure that the engagement is inclusive and transparent. Without genuine community participation, such initiatives risk being viewed as token gestures.
Old wounds heal, but some Ogoni accused the president of putting the cart before the horse. What do you think?
President Tinubu’s call to let old wounds heal is understandable, but healing requires justice and accountability. The environmental degradation, human rights violations, and social injustices faced by the Ogoni people must be addressed comprehensively. Without concrete steps toward reparation and restoration of the environment, the call for healing may seem impulsive.
The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, and other groups grumbled that nobody invited them; do you see that as an issue?
It is an issue because exclusion breeds distrust. Groups like MOSOP have played critical roles in advocating for Ogoni’s rights. For any dialogue to be meaningful and credible, it must be inclusive, giving voice to all relevant stakeholders. Engaging a diverse spectrum of groups ensures that decisions reflect the collective will.
What is the larger implication of oil exploration and its handling for the Niger-Delta by the FG?
The handling of oil exploration has longterm environmental, social, and economic implications. Poor management leads to environmental degradation, health crises, and community unrest. The government must adopt international best practices, enforce strict environmental regulations, and ensure that host communities benefit from the resources extracted from their land.
Between the government and the Ogoni people, what is the way forward?
The way forward is built on trust, justice, and inclusivity. The government must commit to a transparent, accountable, and community-driven engagement process. Addressing environmental restoration, investing in social infrastructure, and ensuring economic empowerment for the people are essential. The Ogoni people, on their part, should be open to dialogue and engagement while remaining firm and demanding their rights.
Despite 13% derivation, the establishment of NDDC, and other statutory allocations to the Niger-Delta states, the communities and people still suffer underdevelopment and deprivation. What is the problem?
The root cause of the problem lies in poor governance, lack of transparency, corruption, and mismanagement of resources. While funds have been allocated, the absence of accountable leadership and participatory governance has hindered meaningful development. Projects meant for the benefit of communities are often abandoned or poorly executed. Civil society and the masses must continue to demand transparency and accountability from their state governments and intervention agencies to ensure that the resources reach the people.
Source: Vanguard