PRES. TINUBU SERIOUS WITH OGONI ISSUES, SAYS FUBARA; AS ENVIRONMENT, REGIONAL DEVT MINISTERS VISIT GOVERNOR ON OGONI MATTER

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed happiness that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration are taking the issues of Ogoni cleanup and development seriously.

Speaking on Monday, February 24, 2025, when he hosted the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal and Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, in Government House, Port Harcourt, Gov. Fubara said the state government is also working with the HYPREP centre to resolve the issues of Ogoni.

Gov. Fubara said the government could only make the people of Ogoni happy after what they had gone through by returning meaningful development to the affected areas.

Narrating the sorry state of affairs of Ogoni, the governor said: "We all know the situation of Ogoniland. They have no good water, no farmland for agriculture anymore, their rivers are polluted and the fishes, if any remaining, are contaminated," adding that life expectancy has been lowered by the unwholesome level of pollution and contamination.

"So, I am happy that this administration being led by the President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is taking this issue of Ogoni seriously. Honestly we want to assure you here that as a government we will do everything within our powers to make sure that you succeed as the minister, who is overseeing this affairs now and also for our people to have a better life".

But Sir Fubara advised the Federal Government to go beyond inaugurating projects to ensuring that people and all stakeholders are involved in the entire process of development.

"They should have a buy-in and own what you are doing. How do they own it? It is not you sitting in Abuja, awarding the contract to somebody we don't know. Much as I won't support awarding it to someone who cannot deliver, but the community people should be part of the process, so that they have that sense of belonging. 

"That sense of responsibility also gives sense of protection. If they believe that they are not part of it issue of sabotage comes in. So I want to advise that going forward, whatever you are doing and whatever plans you have, let the people be part of it", he said.

The governor also expressed happiness that the water project in the area had been concluded and ready for inauguration, adding that he is confident that the locals will take full charge of the project.

He said the state government representatives would attend the inauguration of the water project and he will later hold meetings with all the stakeholders in the area to ensure the sustainability of the project. 

On issues of power in Ogoni, the governor disclosed that his administration paid for the metering of Eleme, Tai, Gokana and Khana including Andoni for ease of energy supply. 

The governor pointed out that there is no way the area would develop without power insisting that power is needed to operate machines and other facilities being installed in Ogoniland.

Responding to the UN Coordinator, he said the improved health facilities in the state is made possible by the deliberate efforts of his administration to right the wrongs of the past government.

He said: "After our analysis, we found out that, health, outside the jamborees that we engaged in, the direct effect of healthcare was not felt in the State and we have to go all out to make sure that we do what is right. I believe that what you saw or what you are seeing in the recent report is because of our deliberate actions to make sure that we improve the state of our healthcare services in Rivers State.

Gov. Fubara emphasised that the State had won several awards as a performing state in the  health sector because the government placed premium priority on the sector as quite important to the well-being of the people.