National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, yesterday, applauded President Bola Tinubu over the clean up and resumption of oil production in Ogoni land.
Ganduje gave the commendation at the party’s National Secretariat when the paramount ruler of Nortem Bori Community in Ogoni, King Lenu Tsaro Igbara (Gbene Teekoo IX), paid him a courtesy visit.
King Igbara, who spoke in the same vein, noted that it was a step in the right direction, saying that the clean-up exercise was “paramount to his people because of the environmental hazard it had caused in Ogoni land.”
The traditional ruler said he was at the APC Secretariat to identify with Ganduje, who he admires so much. While presenting a special congratulatory card to the APC National Chairman, the traditional ruler also expressed appreciation for the resumption of oil production in Ogoni, which produces about one quarter of the total production in the country.
He said: “The oil well allotted to Shell Petroleum in Ogoni land was sealed by the military administration of Gen. Sani Abacha in 1993, following the killing of the rights activist, Ken Saro Wiwa.
“Over the years, Shell’s licence to prospect oil in Ogoni expired, but on assumption of office, Tinubu embarked on the clean-up of Ogoni. Due to the success recorded in the exercise, the Federal Government handed over the well to Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and the company has since returned to site in preparation to commence work.
“By the time operation begins, about 300,000 barrels of oil (representing 25 per cent of daily production) will be produced from the Ogoni oil well.”
Responding, Ganduje appreciated the Ogoni monarch for the visit, and for recognising the effort of Tinubu’s government in the Niger Delta.
Credit: Guardian
