From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has called for the carving out of Ogoni blocs in Oil Mining Lease (OML 11) from the existing concession agreement between Sahara Energy and WAGL.
MOSOP made the call in a joint statement signed by the Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu, and its past factional leaders Fegalo Nsuke and Prince Nuyete Biira in commemoration of Ogoni Day.
The statement was read by King Samuel Nnee Gbenemene of Tai Kingdom, who is also the Convener of Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers on behalf of the Ogoni people.
MOSOP leaders demanded that the Ogoni blocs in OML 11 should be carved out and be given to an indigenous firm that would be committed to the development of the area.
The statement reads partly: “MOSOP demands the unbundling, removal or carve-out of the Ogoni fields from the existing Financial and Technical Services Agreement (FTSA) between Sahara and WAGL for the OML 11 concession and the assigning of the Ogoni bloc to an indigenous operator that is acceptable to all parties and willing to make concessions and commit a fair proportion of its earnings for Ogoni development through the immediate establishment of an Ogoni Foundation or Trust.
“The details of the operationalization to ensure transparency and effectiveness will be made known in a couple of weeks.”
MOSOP also reiterated its call for the clearing of the names of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni martyrs, who were murdered during the General Sani Abacha military regime of any wrongdoing and also confer posthumous national honours on all the 13 Ogoni martyrs.
It (MOSOP) lamented that about 500,000 barrels of daily crude oil was trapped under the Ogoni soil since 1993 that Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) exited Ogoni land due to disagreement with the people.
According to MOSOP, the people had been denied the benefit of the over 500,000 barrels per day oil trapped under in the Ogoni fields, expressing the resolve of the natives to support oil resumption in the area through a special purpose vehicle which would drive development in Ogoniland.
The body said the idea of Ogoni to control its resources resonates with the goals of their founding fathers and are enforceable within the context of extant laws of the Nigerian federation.
It, however, called for cooperation and support from all Ogoni indigenes to achieve the goals.
MOSOP also frowned at the pace of work being done by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and called on the agency to fastrack the evacuation of underground oil and provide potable drinking water.
The group also called for the establishment of a mechanism within HYPREP to compensate for livelihood losses due to environmental pollution.
MOSOP also called for fast-tracking the presidential assent to the bill for an Act establishing the Federal University of Environmental Technology, Saakpenwa, in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The body thanked President Bola Tinubu and Governor Siminalayi Fubara for their love towards the Ogoni people.