President Bola Tinubu is currently engaged in a private meeting with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and leaders from Ogoniland, representing four local government areas in Rivers State.
The meeting, which is taking place at the State House Council Chamber, saw Fubara and the Ogoni delegation arriving earlier, while the vehicle of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike was observed arriving at the Villa around 2:45 p.m, POLITICS NIGERIA reports.
Fubara’s delegation includes Senators Lee Maeba, Magnus Abe, Olaka Nwogu, Victor Giadom, Kenneth Kobani, Monsignor Pius Kii, Leedom Mitee, Senators Bennett Birabi, Barry Mpigi, Kenneth Kobani, and Prof. B. Fakae, among others.
Also present are National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, Minister of Information and National Orientation Idris Mohammed, Minister of Regional Development Abubakar Momoh, Minister of Environment Balarabe Abbas, and Mele Kyari, Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Although the specific agenda of the meeting has not been disclosed, it is speculated that the discussions may center on the Ogoni clean-up initiative and the potential resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland, Rivers State.
The Federal Government has previously voiced concerns over the long suspension of oil exploration in the state, with the Managing Director and CEO of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Samuel Ogbuku, expressing concern about the ongoing conflicts that halted exploration by international oil companies.
Ogbuku emphasized that the prolonged standoff, coupled with the energy crisis exacerbated by the removal of oil subsidies, has deprived the country of substantial contributions to its GDP over the years.
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society organizations has called on the Federal Government to allocate $1 trillion for the clean-up of the Niger Delta and compensation for lost livelihoods before crude oil production resumes in Ogoniland.
The group, which includes Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, and the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, criticized the government’s reported plans to restart oil production, accusing it of disregarding environmental justice.
The coalition referenced the 2011 UNEP report, which documented severe environmental damage in Ogoniland caused by oil activities, including widespread pollution of land, water, and air.
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