President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, tasked the people of Ogoni land on the importance of protecting petroleum pipelines in their domain, saying oil spill does more damage to inhabitants of the environments where they occur.
Buhari gave the charge when he received Ogoni leaders, led by the president of the Supreme Council of Ogoni traditional rulers, His Majesty King Godwin N.K. Giniwa, at the State House in Abuja.
While restating the Federal Government’s commitment to cleaning up Ogoni land, Buhari urged the traditional leaders to play their part by sensitizing their people on the value of protecting national assets like pipelines and other oil installations.
Advertisement
“You will need to educate the people of Ogoni Land and the region more that when pipelines are broken, the damage is more to the immediate environment and the people.
“The majority farmers and fishermen struggle because the fishes now move to the deep sea,’’ he said.
The president also disclosed the possibility of granting state pardon to the late Ogoni activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and others who were executed during the Ogoni crisis in the 1990s.
Saro-Wiwa and others had opposed the activities of the Royal Dutch Shell oil corporation in the region.
Buhari said, “…we are committed to ensuring clemency and national integration as part of this Administration’s bid to lay the foundation for genuine reconciliation and bring closure to the issues of Ogoni Land.
“The unfortunate incidents of the early 1990s leading to the loss of lives of distinguished sons of Ogoni Land and the collateral judicial processes are indelible in our memories.
“Despite the grievous circumstances, the Federal Government will consider the request for the grant of pardon to finally close the Ogoni saga,’’ he noted.
While thanking the Ogoni people for recognizing his administration’s efforts at bringing progress to the region, Buhari said his government would “ensure completion of segment of the East-West Road traversing Ogoni Land, and steps will be taken to ensure delivery under the Infrastructure Development Fund as earlier conceived. We intend to complete this vital artery of Nigeria.”
The president expressed optimism that the economic activities of Ogoni land would be stirred following the granting of operating license of OML11 to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Ltd (NPDC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
“To ensure the stimulation of economic activities in Ogoni Land as underpinned by the vast petroleum resources underlying Ogoni Land and neighbouring communities, NPDC, a subsidiary of the NNPC has been granted licence to operate OML11.
“Accordingly, NNPC is hereby directed to engage all host communities, particularly Ogoni people to ensure inclusive processes of oil and gas exploration and production is anchored on optimum involvement of host communities.
“NPDC will lay a broad-based programme for the emergence of a new Ogoni Land for the benefit of the Ogoni people and Nigeria as a whole,’’ he added.
He added that, “This Administration has placed the rehabilitation of the Niger-Delta as a top priority and has committed a lot of resources to tackle existing problems, including launching a one-billion-dollar oil clean-up exercise to reverse the terrible damage and restore the ecosystem.
“I am pleased that the restoration and amelioration activities under the auspices of the United Nations and the vehicle of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, has commenced work since we assumed office as we promised.
“We will take further steps to ensure faithful and speedy execution of the project so as to restore the environment and enable farming and fishing activities to resume in the affected areas.”
King Giniwa, in his remarks, thanked Buhari for the efforts at cleaning up Ogoni clean-up and other interventions in the area.
The monarch also presented President Buhari with the traditional costume of the people Ogoni.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, his transportation counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, and Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).