President Bola Tinubu has dispatched a top-level government team to Port Harcourt to appease the Rivers State government and facilitate the resumption of oil production in Ogoni land after decades of shutdown. The delegation, led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and including Works Minister David Umahi, Environment Minister Balarabe Lawal, and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited officials, met with Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Monday, December 22, 2025.
The high-stakes visit signals the federal government’s determination to unlock the economic potential of Ogoni oil fields, which could mark a turning point for Nigeria’s economic development. NSA Ribadu commended Governor Fubara for his leadership efforts and described Rivers as one of the most peaceful states in the country, noting that the delegation was in the state to consolidate ongoing peace efforts in Ogoni areas.
“A new chapter is unfolding in the Ogoni ethnic nationality, and Nigeria would no longer be what it used to be, with the transformation beginning from the area,” Ribadu declared, expressing President Tinubu’s appreciation to the people of Ogoni for their support, patience, and understanding.
Works Minister David Umahi described the Ogoni Peace Initiative as strategic to the renewed unity of Nigeria, assuring that all sections of the East-West Road affecting the Niger Delta would be completed to standard. This includes the 15-kilometre Eleme axis with five flyovers, one being constructed by the Rivers State Government in support of presidential efforts. The over ₦200 billion project is scheduled for completion in April next year.
Umahi also revealed that President Tinubu has ordered a redesign of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to pass through Ogoni land, with designs underway to dualise the Bonny-Bodo Road from its starting point to the East-West Road, including two flyovers.
Environment Minister Balarabe Lawal confirmed that the Ogoni clean-up project remains a priority, moving according to United Nations Environment Programme recommendations, including mangrove restoration, healthcare delivery, human capital development, and women empowerment initiatives.
Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, emphasized that the national oil company is committed to the Ogoni dialogue process, with the focus shifting to people rather than oil. He disclosed that employment of 30 Ogoni indigenes by NNPCL has reached the final stage, with appointment letters already issued and resumption scheduled for January 2026.
Governor Fubara commended President Tinubu for his intervention, noting that resolving a crisis that lingered for over three decades in Ogoni land was not an easy task. He emphasized that beyond physical infrastructure, the administration is rebuilding confidence in the region, urging Ogoni leaders to engage youths to allow facility operators access to repair faulty oil equipment and prevent fresh oil spills while environmental remediation continues.
Source: orientalnewsng.com