Ogoni Reconciliation Yielding Results As Tinubu’s Agenda Delivers Jobs, Roads – Fubara

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said President Bola Tinubu’s renewed intervention in Ogoniland is already yielding tangible results, with visible improvements in infrastructure, job creation and growing confidence among the people.

Governor Fubara stated this on Monday 22, December 2025, while hosting a high-level Federal Government delegation led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

The delegation was part of the Presidential Committee on Ogoni Reconciliation established by President Tinubu to foster peace and pave the way for the resumption of oil operations after decades of unrest.

Members of the delegation included the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi; the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal; and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari.

The Governor praised President Tinubu for demonstrating the courage and political will to confront long-standing issues that previous administrations had avoided.

“For over 30 years, one particular issue has continued to confront this state,” Fubara said. “I want to thank Mr President for having the boldness to say, ‘let us start from somewhere.’”

Highlighting developments in Ogoniland, the Governor disclosed that more Ogoni indigenes are now being employed by the NNPC, describing the development as unprecedented.

He noted that in the past, locals were often perceived as threats within the oil industry and were vulnerable to arbitrary dismissal.

“Today, that assurance and encouragement are coming back,” he said, adding that the opportunities being created would have lasting benefits for Rivers State.

On infrastructure, Fubara reported significant progress on federal roads, particularly the East-West Road.

He confirmed that the stretch from Eleme Junction to Bonny is now motorable, while the long-standing gridlock on the Mbiama–Port Harcourt axis has been cleared.

“You can now drive from Eleme Junction to Bonny without the hardship we used to experience,” the Governor said.

In the education sector, Fubara announced that the newly established University of Environment has commenced admissions, describing the institution as part of broader confidence-building measures that also include new hospitals and the development of an industrial park.

The Governor also appealed to youths in host communities to allow oil companies access to sites for spill repairs. He revealed that the new owners of Shell had recently sought his intervention to fix aging wells leaking due to natural wear and tear.

“If repairs are not allowed, we are only returning to square one,” he warned, stressing that environmental remediation and development cannot progress without cooperation.

During the delegation’s visit to the four ogoni Local Government Areas, Khana Local Government Area, the Executive Chairman, Dr. Thomas Bariere, while receiving the NSA, called for the deliberate inclusion of elected local government officials in ongoing dialogue and confidence-building measures in Ogoniland.

He said council chairmen are closer to the grassroots, understand the concerns of the people, and have the constitutional mandate to protect lives and property, stressing that their involvement is critical to sustaining peace and development in the area.

In Tai Local Government Area, the Executive Chairman, Dr. Mbakpone Friday Okpe, expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for assenting to the bill that established the Federal University of Environment and Technology, describing the development as the fulfilment of a long-awaited dream of the Ogoni people.

Dr. Okpe said the university has the potential to drive sustainable development, education and technological advancement across Ogoniland and beyond.

He further disclosed that his administration has “hit the ground running” by funding the construction of a dual carriageway leading to the university gate, adding that plans are already underway to tar the internal roads within the institution to provide a conducive learning and working environment for students, staff and visitors.

The Tai Council Chairman appealed to sons and daughters of Ogoniland to collaborate with the university management and relevant government authorities to ensure the success and sustainability of the institution.

“The university has come to stay and must be collectively protected and supported for the benefit of present and future generations,” he said.

Responding earlier in Port Harcourt, NSA Mallam Nuhu Ribadu conveyed President Tinubu’s appreciation to the Rivers State Government, attributing the peace currently enjoyed in the state to effective collaboration between the Federal Government and the state.

Ribadu described the ongoing progress in Ogoniland as a turning point for Nigeria, saying, “Ogoniland is opening a new chapter for the country. Things are changing, and it is starting here.”

He added that President Tinubu is pleased with Governor Fubara’s leadership and commitment to peace and sustainable development in Rivers State.