BY Haleem Olatunji
The Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) Limited, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), says it is ready to start oil exploration in Ogoniland.
Ali Zara, managing director of the company, said this on Monday during an event organised by the Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI) in Bori, headquarters of Khana LGA in Rivers state.
Zara said the NPDC is aware of the pains Ogoni people had passed through as a result of the polluted environment, stressing that the company would pursue to the fullest, the demands of the people.
He stated that NPDC would implement the demands of people to bring development to Ogoniland.
“What you are seeing here today is a demonstration of our existing cordial relationship with the Ogoni people,” he said.
“We truly share in your pains, first and foremost as Nigerians, and as a company.
“We will join you to pursue these demands. We will stand with you and will work with you to achieve the goals in the shortest time.”
In his remarks, Douglas Fabeke, convener and president of Ogoni Liberation Initiative, said the Ogoni people had suffered for too long as a result of environmental pollution and marginalisation.
He said the Ogoni ethnic nationality had given its consent to NPDC to resume oil exploration on OML 15.
Fabeke called on the federal government to expedite action in bringing development to the entire Ogoniland.
“We are ready to stand by our words and ensure that the souls of our heroes are not forgotten,” he said.
“We are happy to hand over the OML 15 oilfield to NPDC.
“The way to say sorry to the Ogoniland for the harm done to the people is to pay them compensation for the damages done to them.”
Last week, NPDC also announced the resumption of oil exploration activities in oil mining lease (OML) 11.
The resumption followed a court of appeal judgment that upturned a lower court decision on OML 11.
In its ruling, the appeal court held that the minister of petroleum resources has the discretion whether or not to renew the OML 11 lease in favour of SPDC.
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