From Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt.
The member representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, has vowed that Ogoniland must never be a sacrificial zone again.
Abiante also declared that there will be no oil resumption in Ogoniland without justice, remediation, transparency and community consent.
Abiante, who is also a senatorial hopeful for Rivers South-East Senatorial District under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), also stated that as a “representative of our people and a candidate committed to serving the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, I wish to address the ongoing discussions surrounding the proposed resumption of oil exploration and production activities in Ogoniland.”
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday, the federal lawmaker explained that Ogoniland occupies a significant place in the history, culture and socio-economic life of the Niger Delta.
”For decades, however, our communities have endured the devastating consequences of oil pollution, environmental degradation, economic dislocation and the destruction of traditional livelihoods.
”The desire for national economic growth and energy security is understandable. However, economic considerations cannot come at the expense of the rights, health, dignity and future of the Ogoni people.”
He, therefore, said that his position concerning the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland is that “any proposed resumption of oil exploration or production in Ogoniland must be preceded by genuine reconciliation, environmental responsibility, transparency and meaningful agreement with the people.”
Continuing, Abiante listed several conditions that must be addressed before oil production would resume in the oil-rich Ogoniland.
According to the lawmajer, “reconciliation and justice must come first.”
Explaining this, he said that the historical grievances of Ogoni people, including those articulated in the Ogoni Bill of Rights, cannot simply be set aside in pursuit of oil production.
The Federal Government and all corporate actors involved must approach the process with sincerity, humility and openness noting that the era of decisions being imposed on communities without their meaningful participation must end.
”Peace in Ogoniland cannot be secured merely through political agreements. It must be built on justice, trust and genuine reconciliation,” he said.
He also pointed out that environmental remediation must be a prerequisite because the environmental devastation documented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) cannot be ignored.
The UNEP’s assessment identified extensive contamination across Ogoniland and recommended a comprehensive, long-term programme of environmental restoration.
”Therefore, before any new extraction takes place, the federal government must demonstrate substantial and measurable progress in implementing the environmental remediation programme.”
”Clean water, restored farmlands, rehabilitated waterways, mangrove restoration and the protection of public health must not be treated as afterthoughts,” the lawmaker declared, adding that the people of Ogoniland cannot be asked to accept new oil production while the environmental consequences of past production remain unresolved.
He also stated that transparency and genuine community participation should be a prerequisite for oil production resumption, saying that he also
shares the concerns being expressed by Ogoni stakeholders regarding transparency in the ongoing dialogue.
He also recalled that recent reports indicate that sections of the Ogoni community are demanding greater openness around discussions concerning the proposed resumption of oil activities because no individual, group or faction should be permitted to appropriate the collective voice of Ogoniland.
”The process must therefore be inclusive and transparent, involving legitimate representatives of the host communities, traditional institutions, youth organisations, women, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders. No agreement reached behind closed doors can substitute for genuine grassroots consent.”
”People must benefit from their resources. If, after genuine consultation and the fulfilment of agreed environmental and social conditions, oil production is eventually considered, the framework must be fundamentally different from the past,” he stated.
Host communities, the NDC senatorial hopeful added “must receive tangible and sustainable benefits from the resources extracted from their land.
”This must include meaningful implementation of host-community development provisions, investment in healthcare and education, infrastructure, environmental protection, local enterprise development and sustainable employment opportunities for young people.
”The people must not merely bear the environmental costs of extraction while others receive the economic benefits.”
He further vowed that “Ogoniland must never again be a sacrificial zone” because Ogoniland and, by extension, the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, deserve a future beyond environmental degradation and resource exploitation.
”Our people deserve clean air, safe drinking water, productive farmland, healthy waterways, decent infrastructure and genuine economic opportunity.”
”I, therefore, call on the Federal Government, the Office of the National Security Adviser, regulatory agencies, NNPC Limited, prospective operators and all other stakeholders to proceed with caution, transparency and respect for the people of Ogoniland.
”The ongoing dialogue represents an opportunity to correct the mistakes of the past and build a new relationship based on trust, justice and shared prosperity. That opportunity must not be squandered,” he said.
Abiante further stated that as “a representative of the people and a candidate for the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, I stand firmly with the people of Ogoni. I will continue to advocate for a process in which their voices are heard, their environment is protected, their heritage is respected and their rights are defended.
”Ogoniland must not be asked to choose between development and dignity. We can and must have both,” he concluded.