Group lauds FG on return of exploratory activities in Ogoniland

Members of the Ogoni Peoples Assembly yesterday applauded the Federal Government on the decision to resume exploratory activities in their area.

Mr. Probel Williams, who spoke with reporters on behalf of the group in Abuja, said that the measure would help to cushion the effects of biting poverty and unemployment prevalent in Ogoniland over the years.

He said the situation is worsened by the fact that there is a dearth of industrial infrastructure in Ogoniland despite the abundance of oil and gas resources just as he claimed that there is a total collapse of the school system in Ogoniland.

He said that of the 10 secondary schools in Khana Local Council, only one is functional.

The group noted: “Ogoni people have not been and are still not opposed to oil exploration but shall never allow further exploration on the terms and modus operandi of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

“We are of the view that much as it is the responsibility of government to address the above situations, it is our own responsibility to assist the government by supporting the utilisation of the resources in our land for the desired goal.

“The Ogoni oil fields have been abandoned for 26 years due to the intractable fight against the modus operandi of the IOCs, particularly SPDC. We have been looking forward to a day we can find a Nigerian company that understands our plight and can work with Ogoni people. And we believe we have found such in XAVON Energy. This is our mission and we pray the Federal government to consider our request to allow XAVON Energy the operatorship of OML 11 and break this 26-year-old impasse peacefully.”