PORT HARCOURT – The President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Fegalo Nsuke, has called for unity among the Ogoni people to form a common front for the development of their oil-rich kingdom.
Speaking in Port Harcourt, Nsuke responded to circulating reports that the Ogoni ethnic group was not invited to the recently concluded three-day Niger Delta Stakeholders’ Summit 2024, organized by the NDDC.
In a statement signed by Alex Akori, Secretary-General of MOSOP, Nsuke highlighted that the summit’s timing was crucial for attracting development to the region.
Key speakers, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, Niger Delta Minister Engineer Abubakar Momo, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and others, urged the NDDC to focus on impactful human development projects.
Nsuke said: “We have appreciated the decision of Mr. President to prioritise the issue bothering on the Niger Delta development and we in Ogoni are so blessed with fertile arable land, irrespective of the environmental pollution by oil majors, good enough for rice, tomoato, onion farming among others.
“However, we will expect greater transparency and accountability in the affairs of the NDDC to ensure that its impact can be more strongly felt in the region.
“MOSOP is ready to partner with the NDDC under the leadership of the current MD, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku to see Ogoniland as veritable location to invest resources in the agriculture sector to boost agro-farming for food security not just in the Niger Delta region, but Nigeria as a whole.
“We as ethnic nationality will want to state our strong resolve to partner with the Federal Government in particular and the NDDC MD, in particular in the interest of our people.
“We call for a new dawn to encourage Cooperation between the people and the NDDC despite the misunderstandings that have emanated over the handling of the east/west road.
“MOSOP will want to see a speedy resolution of all issues surrounding the East-West Road project to enable contractors return to site and complete the project.
“We will work with the present management of the NDDC and on that note, we want to express confidence that the NDDC will willingly cooperate with our initiatives to speed up the completion of the East-West Road project.
“We also want to use this opportunity to call on Mr. President to ensure that the activities of HYPREP in the clean-up of ogoni are further strengthened.
“As much as we are appealing for sufficient funds for the NDDC to execute its projects, we want the HYPREP to be thoroughly sanitised for the good of the Ogoni people.”
Support Quality Journalism in the Niger Delta Region
Join us in our mission to bring development journalism, cultural preservation, and environmental awareness to the forefront. Your contribution makes a difference in the lives of the people of the Niger Delta. Donate today and be a part of the change!
