Ogoni Youths demand role in talks on oil, gas resumption
By Firdaus Jibril
Youth groups in Ogoniland have called for direct participation in consultations and decision-making regarding the proposed resumption of oil and gas activities in the area, insisting they must not be excluded from discussions that directly affect their communities.
The call was made by the Ogoni Oil and Gas Host Communities Youths Association, in conjunction with the Ogoni National Youth Congress, during a briefing on youth unity, peacebuilding, and economic participation held in K-Dere, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The groups asserted that Ogoni youths must have a voice in decisions concerning the local environment, economy, employment opportunities, and community benefits that may arise from the planned resumption of operations after more than three decades of suspended production.
Presenting a joint statement signed by the President of the Ogoni Oil and Gas Host Communities Youths Association, Teddy Gianen, the group’s Secretary, Noble Nwolu, stated that Ogoni youths will no longer remain passive spectators while critical decisions affecting their future are made.
The youths clarified that they do not oppose development or the return of oil operations, but they insist that any resumption must address historical grievances, particularly ongoing environmental remediation and host-community welfare.
They called for a sustainable development framework that safeguards the local environment while creating tangible opportunities for young people through employment, technical training, entrepreneurship, contracting, and broader community development initiatives.
The groups also urged the Federal Government and other industry stakeholders to deepen their engagement with youth organisations, community leaders, traditional institutions, civil society groups, and relevant regulatory agencies.
They noted that inclusive collaboration will ensure the core interests of Ogoni communities are genuinely represented during negotiations on the future of local oil and gas production.
Additionally, the youths encouraged their peers to prepare for emerging economic opportunities through formal education, vocational skills acquisition, and professional development.
Addressing security and peacebuilding, the leadership urged young people to reject violence, vandalism, crude theft, intimidation, and the destruction of public or private infrastructure, emphasizing that a commitment to peaceful advocacy should never be mistaken for complacency.
The renewed debate over oil production in Ogoniland comes as the Federal Government advances stakeholder consultations on resuming operations in the region.
President Bola Tinubu previously directed an inter-agency framework to implement recommendations arising from these community engagements.
The Ogoni youth leaders reaffirmed their dedication to peaceful engagement, maintaining that the future of the region must be shaped with the direct participation and consent of its residents.