The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Vice President North Central, Amb. Akoshile Mukhtar has commended the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari and other critical stakeholders for the reopening of Oil Mining Lease 25 in Asari-Toru Local Government, Rivers State.
NYCN in a statement signed by Organizing Secretary Headquarters, Comrade Abdulrahman Olawale, Monday noted that the GMD’s approach will help bring about lasting peace to the oil-producing communities and by extension the entire Niger Delta region.
OML 25 located in Kula Kingdom of Asari-Toru Local Government of Rivers State have been shut for decades over faceoff between host communities and Shell oil producing company.
Youth council alongside other youth leaders in Nigeria had on many occasion visited Asari-Toru Local Government, where they called on the NNPC and Federal Government to come to the aid of the host communities.
NNPC’s boss recently brokered a peace deal on OML 25 between the corporation’s JV partner, Shell, Belema Oil Limited and host communities to reopen the station for oil mining.
Amb. Mukhtar in the statement said “since 2018 NYCN has been sending delegates to Asari-Toru Local Government to appeal to the members of the oil-producing communities to remain peaceful as they demand for renegotiation of OML 25 in other to uplift the living standard of their people.
The Vice President North Central explained that, “the Nigerian youths and the youths in the host communities are highly elated that the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, the GMD NNPC and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva for taking the bold step for the development of the communities and upliftment of the people’s welfare.
Continuing, the statement read “The nation needs the oil at this time of dwindling economy and it is good that positive decisions are taken by the government and NNPC. The NNPC’s decision on OML 25 will bring about economic growth in the host communities, Rivers state and Nigeria at large.
“NYCN Vice President North Central added that with the inclusion of Belema Oil Producing Company, an indigenous company known for outstanding performance in community development and human capacity building in the renegotiated deal will help facilitate basic infrastructure and amenities such as potable water, good roads, hospitals, schools, electricity and so on.
“The GMD NNPC role in reopening of the OML 25 flow station will increase revenue generation, it will help solve environmental pollution issues in the communities and create more employment opportunities for the youths. This will go a long way in the sustainability of the relative peace not just in the state, but in the entire region.
“As we commend the federal government, GMD NNPC and other critical stakeholders we also urge them to consider Nigerian youths in all their activities. They should as a matter of national development handover all the oil mining licenses to indigenous companies that are interested in the development of the sector and the country at large.
“Also, we commend the peaceful conduct of the host communities during this trying moment and charge them to continue to remain peaceful in all their conduct as better days await them with the reopening of the oil flow station.
“It is worth mentioning, that unlike the violent activism of the past, the youth in Kula Kingdom of Asari-Toru Local Government of Rivers State chose to remain peaceful and embraced dialogue. This we at NYCN are proud of and it will further encourage us to take our peace message to other parts of the country.
“We on this note charge all oil producing host communities in the Niger Delta and the entire Nigeria youths to remain peaceful and embrace dialogue in resolving issues”.
