Lagos, Jan. 23, 2025 – The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has advised Ogoni youths to participate actively in oil exploration activities as government resumes oil production in the area.
Joseph Obele, its Spokesman, made the appeal in a statement on Thursday following a meeting of President Bola Tinubu with Ogoni leaders in Abuja earlier this week.
PETROAN advised the Ogoni delegates to organise town hall meetings in all four local governments in Ogoniland and urged the youths to henceforth participate actively in the decision-making process through the town hall meetings
“These meetings will provide platforms for wider consultations and gather thoughts from various groups, including scholars, farmers, elders, women, and youths.
“The resumption of oil production is sacrosanct, but the concerns should be participation, equity, empowerment, employment, environmental protection, and compensations for damages.
“The submissions from the town hall meetings will constitute the people’s position for development as oil production commences.
“This will form a position paper for the oil production company handling the oil production.”
PETROAN said that while the delegates who met with the President were well-qualified, it is essential to hear from the broader Ogoni community.
“It is not sufficient to adopt the opinion of 50 persons over a community of two million people,” it said.
The association further advised all the Ogoni people to support the resumption of oil production for the betterment of the area,
