President Bola Tinubu has instructed the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to work closely with the NNPCL, the Ogoni community, and other key parties to complete arrangements for restarting oil production in Ogoniland.
President Tinubu gave this directive on Wednesday after the Presidential Committee on the Ogoni Consultations, led by Professor Don Baridam, presented its report at the State House in Abuja. The event was attended by an Ogoni delegation headed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
The president said, “We are not, as a government, taking lightly the years of pain endured in Ogoniland. We recognise that, otherwise, we would not be here today. The Federal Government truly acknowledges the long suffering of the Ogoni people, and today, we declare with conviction that hope is here and is back with us.
“Accordingly, I am directing the National Security Adviser to commence immediately the engagement between the Ogoni people and NNPCL and all relevant stakeholders with a view to finalising modalities to begin operations. We must start by addressing non-valuable assets, which are of no benefit to the community, the country, or its people.”
