Tinubu Committed to Ogoniland Development, Says Minister
The Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, has reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the development of Ogoniland, highlighting efforts by the current administration to improve the lives of its people.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Newsnight on Monday, Momoh stated that Tinubu is dedicated to ensuring peace and progress in Ogoniland, Rivers State.
“The President is a visionary leader who understands the concerns of the people. In the past year, he has met twice with Ogoni leaders, including traditional rulers, political figures, and religious leaders, all in a bid to foster peace and pave the way for oil exploration in the region,” the minister said.
Momoh commended Tinubu’s approach, revealing that during the last meeting, the President tasked the National Security Adviser (NSA) with ensuring reconciliation among previously divided factions.
“For years, some groups in Ogoniland refused to engage with one another. Now, under Mr. President’s leadership, efforts are being made to bring them to the same table. Once peace is restored, oil exploration will commence,” he explained.
To further demonstrate inclusivity, Momoh noted that Tinubu recently signed into law the establishment of a Federal University of Environment in Ogoniland, dedicated to addressing the region’s environmental challenges.
The minister also pointed to ongoing development projects in Ogoniland, including the revival of abandoned initiatives.
“Under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), numerous projects that had stalled before this administration are now progressing significantly,” Momoh added.
Ogoniland, home to nearly one million people, has suffered decades of environmental degradation due to oil exploration by Shell. After mass protests led by activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine, Shell ceased production in 1993.
Following a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) assessment, the Nigerian government pledged to restore the damaged ecosystem. UNEP estimated that an initial cleanup would require $1 billion and take five years, with actual cleanup efforts beginning in January 2019.
Despite these challenges, the Federal Government is now considering resuming oil exploration in Ogoniland as part of its broader development agenda.
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