By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Ahead of its plan to re-start oil exploration and other related activities in the troubled Ogoni land, a high-powered Federal Government delegation arrived Rivers state on Monday December 22, 2025, on a trouble-shooting mission.
The high-profile delegation which comprises the National Security Adviser NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, Minister of Works, Engr Dave Umahi, and his Environment counterpart, Balarabe Lawal, earlier on the day paid a courtesy visit to Governor Siminalayi Fubara after being received at the Port Harcourt Airport by several top Ogoni land stakeholders, including members of the Ogoni Mothers Union.
The Source reports that the efforts by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to recommence oil exploration activities in Ogoni after over two decades of lull have been met with stiff resistance by an overwhelming majority of the people who are insisting on certain conditionalities being met first .
Among the conditions set by the people are the establishment of a framework on the clean-up of the Ogoni land which has been seriously affected by past oil spill arising from exploration activities by multi-national companies,and firm agreement on how to ensure the inclusion, protection and promotion of the interests of the people in all future exploration activities.
Popular agitations against, and even violent confrontations with multi-national oil companies over alleged neglect of both the people and the environment were mainly at the root of the winding down of oil exploration in the area over 20 years ago.
The recent establishment of the University of Environmental Technology Ogoni ,and other emergency measures taken by the Federal Government ,have so failed to persuade the people,who are rather insisting on being part and parcel of any future exploration activities in their area.
The NSA-led Federal Government delegation which includes the Director-General DG of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency Chukwuemeka Woke is expected to proceed to Ogoni land after meeting with Governor Fubara.
They are primarily in the State to, among other things, inspect some important sites of critical Oil facilities, as well as hold extensive deliberations with major stakeholders of Ogoni land.
The team will specifically meet with the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, with a view to resolving some gray areas including how to address environmental remediation, infrastructural development, security concerns, and how to carry the people along in future oil exploration activities.
Part of the itinerary of the delegation also include an inspection tour of ongoing Federal Government projects in the state including the East-West Road .
They will equally visit the Yorla Oilfield spill site in Kpean community, the University of Environmental Technology, Ogoni ,the Gokana Oil Facility, and Hospital in K-Dere, as well as the Industrial Park site, and Taabaa General Hospital.
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