The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People has called on the facilitators of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee to be transparent in their dealings with stakeholders on the planned resumption of oil exploration in the area.
MOSOP said openness by the dialogue committee would elicit the confidence of all stakeholders in Ogoni and encourage them to further embrace the dialogue process.
MOSOP, in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Stephen Nmane, and issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, however, demanded a probe into alleged oil production activities ongoing in parts of Ogoni without the consent or social licence of the communities.
The umbrella body of the Ogoni people in Rivers State was reacting to a statement by the ODC facilitators, led by a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Ben Nanen, titled, “Setting the Record Straight on the Ogoni Dialogue Process.”
MOSOP said the response by the ODC failed to address concerns raised by individuals, organisations and stakeholders over alleged secrecy, lack of transparency and accountability in the dialogue process, adding that rather than allay concerns, the response had deepened suspicion among the Ogoni people.
The statement partly read, “To us, the ODC facilitators’ response disclosed nothing tangible. Rather, it betrayed a concerning attempt to hide the truth. Our expectation was that the committee leaders would offer convincing clarifications that would put to rest the doubts. Instead, they opted for a submission that increased our doubts.”
MOSOP further said the failure of the ODC to publish the names of beneficiaries had fuelled suspicion, insisting that the authentic NNPCL-approved list should be made public. “The people have been unsatisfied with the handling of the offer; hence, the overwhelming insistence that the list of beneficiaries be published. If the ODC leaders differ, we urge them to resolve the doubt by publishing the authentic NNPCL-approved list in their possession,” the organisation said.
The statement also criticised the alleged inclusion of non-indigenes among the beneficiaries, describing the decision as insensitive in the face of widespread unemployment among qualified Ogoni graduates. “Whilst our qualified graduates throng offices for jobs, our leaders inhumanly consider non-indigenes over the natives in a matter that is exclusive to Ogoni,” MOSOP continued.
MOSOP claimed that oil production activities were continuing in the areas without the consent or social licence of the Ogoni community. “It is thus irritating and unacceptable the claim of ignorance of the vexatious oil production operations by managers of the ODC,” MOSOP said.
The group particularly faulted the ODC for allegedly limiting its investigation to the Alesa-Eleme operation while failing to address the reported activities in Ban-Ogoi. “That the ODC would only investigate the Alesa-Eleme case without a word on that of the Ban-Ogoi area speaks volumes,” MOSOP said.
On contracts for confidence-building projects, MOSOP said its concern was not the mandate of the ODC or the distribution of contracts, but the identities and competence of contractors executing the projects.
MOSOP demanded disclosure of project details, including contractors, scope of work, specifications and milestones.
MOSOP also rejected any suggestion that its criticism was aimed at frustrating the dialogue process or preventing the resumption of oil production in Ogoni.
It said it had consistently maintained that it was not opposed to the resumption of oil production in Ogoni, provided the process was transparent, broad-based and capable of protecting the interests of the people.
