By: Felix Ikpotor
Following the renewed move by the Federal Government through the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, to resume oil exploration in Ogoniland, leaders from the area have appealed to the company to give operatorship license of Ogoni blocs in OML 11 to an indigenous company.
The leaders which comprises members of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, youths and the political class, stated this demand during a consultative meeting between NNPCL Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL), a subsidiary company of NNPCL and Ogoni people at the palace of Mene Samuel Nnee, Gbenemene Tai in Kpite Community, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.
NEPL is the exploration arm of NNPCL charged with the responsibility of developing OML11.
The company had visited the Ogoni stakeholders to seek their support to explore a gas well at Okoloma 1, a disputed land between Oyigbo and Tai people, to power the Afam Power Station.
Nnee who spoke on behalf of the Ogoni leaders stated that Ogoni is ready for resumption of economic activities but insisted that they want to be part of whatever activities that’s happening on their land.
The monarch said, “The issue here is a very simple matter and as leadership, we had to go behind to brainstorm. Although what you are looking for is in Ban Goi area but every Ogoni person is interested.
“Ogoni is a place that everything is done in dialogue.The project is a good one and we are looking forward to also benefit from it.
“Ogoni needs power and it will be important for us too. It’s important for us to look at what is going on and what we can do.
“The truth of the matter is that Ogoni people are desirous of participating in the whole thing in the oil sector.
“We still feel that if Federal Government can give any license to any company to explore oil and gas in OML 11, it can give it to an Ogoni company too. It’s common knowledge that we don’t need all facilities to explore oil. We are aware that there are experts all over the world that we can partner with.
“We made it clear to the President in May when we visited him at the Villa that we are ready for oil resumption.
“We have been in this for 30 years and all this while our people managed to survive. What we are looking at now is development and we need to participate to develop.
“We have plans to industrialize our place and it’s only Ogoni people that can provide all these and it’s the resolve of Ogoni people to participate in activities on our land”.
The Ogoni monarch states further if the traditional institutions are involved in whatever the company is doing, they will enjoy maximum protection.
“If our kings are involved in what you are doing, they will be protected. We are ready for the business you want to do but we want to say that we want to participate. We are aware that NEPL will get contractors; we want to be part of it.
“Our people have asked me to say, get us onboard, we have what it takes to do it with you.
“I don’t want NEPL to have the treatment Shell faced from Ogoni people. The best way to succeed is to get Ogoni involved, partner with an Ogoni company. It makes it easier for you because all Ogonis are involved in this oil struggle. Give it to an Ogoni company,” Nnee insisted.
Nnee expressed the hope that the meeting with NEPL would fasttrack the request for operatorship license to an Ogoni company, adding that Ogoni will respond and support the work if it’s handled by an indigenous company.
“We believe that our marriage with you would fasttrack our request. Let’s do it together and you will do it peacefully because Ogoni people will provide the security for the projects because it’s their own.
“The conversation won’t end today because the kings will go back and speak to their people on the new development.
“The moment the people sees another company order than ours, they may not respond easily.
“We want to advice or suggest that we want to be part of it. Take that to management that we are ready to partner with you.
“Tell NEPL that our visit to Mr President was not a joke and that we want you to assist us as our brothers that Ogoni people are serious and we want that license to explore oil and if we have it, I can tell you that oil exploration will resume tomorrow in partnership with NNPCL,” the royal father stated.
Earlier, Team lead of NEPL and Community Relations Manager of OML 11, Emmanuel Nwachukwu said they were in Ogoni to consult with the leaders and get their buy-in in the project.
He used the medium to dispel insinuations that the company was coming to explore Ogoni oil through the back door and further assured that NNPCL is in support of the Ogoni course.
“There is need for drilling of a gas well around Tai/ Oyigbo area and the gas well is needed to power Afam Power Station inline with Federal Government’s mandate on power generation.
“Okoloma 1 is where we are looking at drilling for the gas well. We understand the contention around the land but we are not here to dispute or apportion it’s ownership.
“Because of the lot of interest on who owns plots around there, it is very important that we consult widely with the leaders of the Ogoni Nation to also clarify grey areas and to also assure people of Ogoni that we are not in anyway trying to use the backdoor to enter Ogoni to explore oil.
“We understand the importance of engaging the Ogoni Nation to get their buy-in for oil exploration resumption in Ogoniland.
“NNPCL is solidly behind the Ogoni people. we understand the peculiarity and demands behind resumption of Ogoni oil exploration in the land and to solicit your support for the job on the land and the cooperation of the people on the land for the benefit of our nation and the children resident around that location,” Nwachukwu stated.
In his contribution, MOSOP President, Prince Biira, aligned himself with the submission of the royal fathers but reminded the stakeholders not to loose sight of the sacrifice of Ogoni martyrs whenever the issue of oil exploration in Ogoniland is discussed.
“I subscribe completely to what my kings have said.
“However, anybody that want to come to talk about oil exploration should be mindful of the sacrifices of our forebears.
“We shouldn’t be taken forgranted because that’s the only thing Ogoni has blessed us with.
“Ogoni people are ready for economic activities but we must participate. The 45 percent of OML 11, Ogoni people are going to manage it and higher a technical expert to manage it,” he said.
