The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria has called on Ogoni youths to support the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland.
The body made the call on Thursday in a statement by its National Public Relations Officer, Dr. Joseph Obele, following a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Ogoni delegates in Abuja earlier in the week.
To ensure that the concerns of all stakeholders are addressed, PETROAN suggested that the Ogoni delegates organise town hall meetings in all four local governments in Ogoniland.
The association said, “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.”
PETROAN emphasised that “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.”
Continuing, the association noted 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, the body maintained,” the statement read.
It therefore urged all Ogoni people to support the resumption of oil production and participate in the decision-making process through the town hall meetings.
