Former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director General Dakuku Peterside has criticized the proposal to reopen oil drilling in Rivers State’s Ogoni region.
Many years ago, the federal government halted oil development in the region because of a number of issues, including environmental deterioration.
“Speaking on Channels TV on Politics Today on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, Peterside said certain contentious issues have to be addressed before oil exploration could resume in Ogoni land.
“To be honest with you, it will be too soon to start exploring for oil in Ogoni land again. According to Peterside, the administration has also decided to increase consultations, foster trust, and demonstrate a sincere commitment to environmental governance.
“The difficulty has always been the ambiguity of oil drilling, not only in Ogoni territory but throughout the Niger Delta.
“It raises serious concerns that the Niger Delta’s residents are left out of the distribution of the advantages that come from oil development. Furthermore, we won’t get very far unless we deal with that in an open way.
Two weeks after President Bola Tinubu and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike met behind closed doors with Ogoni leaders, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Peterside expressed his opinions on the proposed restart of oil drilling in Ogoni land.