From Tony John, Port Harcourt
President Bola Tinubu has been appealed to by an Ogoni group for recognition and inclusion in the management committees of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
The Ogoni Oil Bearing Communities (OOBC) urged President Tinubu to direct the Ministry of Environment and other agencies responsible for activities of HYPREP to involve its leadership in the affairs of the agency.
This was part of the resolutions the group reached at the end of its quarterly meeting for the year, 2024, held at the palace of the Gberemene Tua Tua Tai, and Paramount Ruler of Kpite community, King Samuel Nne, in Tai Local Government Area of the State, yesterday.
The OOBC expressed the demand of the people for the involvement of oil bearing communities in matters relating to oil and gas, as well as its related benefits.
In a six-point communiqué signed by President of oil bearing communities, Donald Gberesuu, it decried the plights and act of marginalization of the OOBC in the scheme of things “by certain greedy Ogoni natives and the Nigerian State,” describing it as “quite unfortunate.”
The group commended Tinubu for the audience he granted its delegation and assurances to look into OOBC’s demands.
The oil bearing communities declared that they were “not subservient and shall not relegate our responsibilities to middle men and interrupters who are fronting greed and usurpation of common opportunities.” Also, they urged the President Tinubu to accept recommendations of Ogoni representations as a way of improving participation of affected oil bearing communities.
They demanded: “That we demand for general meeting of Ogoni people to provide suitable medium to express the goodwill messages and the commitment of Mr President to the Ogonis.
“No Ogoni man or woman should think that Ogonis cannot move without him or her, neither should any act in contrary to divide Ogonis into crisis for personal interest.
“Those who made the list to visit Mr President are all Ogonis with repute and we cannot undermine them. I, therefore, call on the Ogonis to give peace a chance if we must move forward.”