The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger delta

  • Otuaro tackling educational gaps in N’Delta, says Ex-IYC chairman

    Otuaro tackling educational gaps in N’Delta, says Ex-IYC chairman

    The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief Dennis Burutu Otuaro, has been commended for tackling the ‘long-neglected educational gaps’ among the teeming youths of the Niger Delta region.

    The immediate past chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Western Zone (Delta, Edo, and Ondo states), Doubra Okotete, gave the commendation in a statement made available to reporters in Warri, Monday.

    According to him, the Otuaro-led PAP has not only revived the original vision of the programme by addressing the long-standing educational deficiencies in neglected creek communities, but also made giant strides in peace-building in the oil-rich region.

    Okotete also extended appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for appointing Otuaro, describing him as “a round peg in a round hole” whose leadership has already produced a measurable impact.

    Describing the efforts so far carried out by the Amnesty office as “wonderful and “impactful,” the ex-IYC leader said, “His administration has been particularly outstanding in the area of peace-building across the Niger Delta region, as well as in addressing the long-neglected educational gaps that have held back many impoverished communities, especially those across the creeks of the Niger Delta states and beyond,” Okotete said.

    He praised Otuaro’s commitment to human capital development, citing the sponsorship of over 250 students for postgraduate studies abroad and the enrollment of hundreds more in academic and vocational institutions across Nigeria.

    “It is evident that Dr. Otuaro’s vision and leadership are in direct alignment with the founding template of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, as conceived and declared by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. His initiatives have breathed new life into the original goals of the PAP, transforming it into a tool of empowerment, reconciliation, and sustainable development.

    Read Also: Ijaw group defends PAP boss Otuaro, alleges ethnic sentiments 

    “Notably, under his leadership, over 250 students have been sponsored abroad for postgraduate studies in crucial academic fields at reputable international universities. At the same time, hundreds of others are currently enrolled in postgraduate, undergraduate, vocational, and skill acquisition programs across leading institutions in Nigeria. This commitment to human capital development is laudable and speaks volumes about his dedication to equipping Niger Delta youths with the tools for a better and more responsible future,” the statement said.

    The former IYC leader urged PAP beneficiaries to remain disciplined and focused, while calling on critics to “retrace their steps” and support the administration’s peace and development agenda.

    “I call for greater support and unity behind the PAP administration, while advising those who selfishly seek to undermine or attack the progress being made to retrace their steps. Instead, they should join forces with the current leadership in advancing the good works of this administration for the collective peace, stability, and development of the Niger Delta region and Nigeria as a whole,” Okotete concluded.

    Since assuming office in 2023, Otuaro has shown commitment to educational empowerment, conflict resolution, and sustainable development among ex-agitators and other stakeholders in the region.

  • PAP seeks employment opportunities for 18000 trained ex-agitators, beneficiaries

    PAP seeks employment opportunities for 18000 trained ex-agitators, beneficiaries

    The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has sought the partnership of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for employment opportunities for some of the 18,000 trained ex-agitators and beneficiaries of the programme.

    Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NCC in Abuja, Dr Aminu Maida, the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, said that the commission’s support would help the scheme’s post-training empowerment scheme.

    Otuaro said there were ex-agitators and beneficiaries of the programme with the requisite qualifications and skills that the commission could employ to enable them to contribute to national growth and development.

    He said many of them had completed their formal educational and vocational training in relevant fields as part of the PAP’s effort at human capacity development.

    Otuaro, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Igoniko Oduma, described them as potential human resources that could be harnessed for the socio-economic advancement of the Niger Delta and the country.

    He said, “We are on a mission to seek support and collaboration with government agencies like the NCC to see how some of them can be engaged so that they can contribute their quota to national development.

    Read Also: PAPBEF applauds Otuaro as 140 Niger Delta scholars depart for UK postgraduate studies

    “The whole scope of the programme centres on national and human security, where the beneficiaries are trained in formal education and vocational skills, including information technology. Many people have been trained in various professional fields.

    “So far, we have over 18000 persons who have been trained. These are potential human resources that should be harnessed for national development. By the design of the programme, we have the post-training, employment, and empowerment component.

    “So we have an army of human resources that will contribute to national growth when engaged. We also have persons with doctorates of philosophy (PhDs) that can be easily engaged, and that is the essence of the human capacity development that we carry out.”

    In his remarks, the NCC boss expressed the commission’s commitment to providing support and equal opportunities to people without bias, stressing that there should also be evidence of value from interventions.

    Maida said the commission was poised to carry out its mandate as a regulatory agency while ensuring access to digital connectivity by all citizens.

    He, however, called for infrastructure security against vandalism to protect digital assets and sustain digital connectivity across the country.

  • PAP sends 142 beneficiaries for foreign postgraduate scholarship in the UK

    PAP sends 142 beneficiaries for foreign postgraduate scholarship in the UK

    The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has sent 142 qualified beneficiaries on foreign educational scholarships carefully designed to deepen, enhance, and broaden the human capacity needs of the Niger Delta Region and the country in furtherance of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

    The PAP Administrator, Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro, disclosed that beneficiaries of the all-expenses-paid scholarship programme in the United Kingdom were not only qualified but also carefully selected from a rigorous process for quality contributions to industry demands relevant to the accelerated development of the region and country.

    Otuaro spoke at the orientation ceremony held for the departing beneficiaries at the Headquarters of PAP in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday.

    “What we are doing today is a deliberate effort to take Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda to our people. Last year, when we came on board, the mandate was to take this Programme to the people at the grassroots and to the people in the communities.

    “If you put the number of beneficiaries today together, about 142, all of them are going for postgraduate studies. We know that when they go and come back, they will add serious value to our communities, nation, and human capacity in the region. In that case, they will contribute any knowledge they have back home to our region.

    Read Also: 5,000 Itsekiri graduates of Novena Varsity not part of scholarship beneficiaries – PAP

    “We also have other aspects of the Programme. But this educational aspect is in professional courses. It is not an all-comers’ affair. In the areas where we know we can do postgraduate programmes in Nigeria, we are doing them within our country. In terms of the selection process, it is based on qualification and industry demand for the development of the Niger Delta and Nigeria,” Chief Otuaro, who promised to do more for the Niger Delta people, explained.

    The orientation ceremony particularly involved related talks and advice on conduct, tasks, and challenges ahead of the students, many of whom have never travelled outside the shores of Nigeria before.

    In one of such important talks, titled: Diplomatic Security Implications, Head of Nigeria Military Police and former Military Attaché to Nigeria High Commission in Ghana, The Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen. M. O. Erebulu admonished the students to be of good conduct.

    “What we are doing today reminds us of the history of this Programme. For the first time, we are having a huge number of students like these going out of the country. PAP has impacted the lives of the people of the Niger Delta.

    “Our conduct over there is very important. What you do and get away with at home, you can’t get away with over there.

    “You’re carrying the flag of the country. So, you’re an ambassador of this country. When you’re caught with drugs, the first reaction is that you’re a Nigerian. Abstain from drugs. Don’t wait until your passport expires before renewal. Anything about your visa, do it on time,” Erebulu stated.

    In his important talk, titled: The Cultural and Social Dynamics of Studying in the UK and Europe, the Technical Assistant to the PAP Administrator, Mr. Edgar Bio, urged the students to work hard for academic excellence.

    Mr. Bio said, “With regards to your obligations as students, see yourselves as beneficiaries of this Programme. Think of what you can give back or do for your country, the Niger Delta, and your community.

    “The laws of the country where you’re going to study, keep and obey them. Keep away from drugs.

    “There is what is called over there as conditional rape. Your spoken language, social culture, and conduct must be restrained. You must focus on your education.”

    Other speakers included PAP Head of Education, Dr. Charles Ariye, who spoke on the Academic Dynamics of Studying in the UK, and PAP Assistant Head of Education, Mr. Anthony Okon, who spoke on PAP’s Responsibilities to Beneficiaries.

    The beneficiaries are made up of two batches of 71 students each. The ceremony concluded with a group photograph that followed questions and answers, as well as an affirmation of acceptance of the scholarship terms and conditions by all beneficiaries.

  • Monday Achoja Oghenechovwe: Driving youth empowerment, infrastructure growth in Delta

    Monday Achoja Oghenechovwe: Driving youth empowerment, infrastructure growth in Delta

    Monday Achoja Oghenechovwe (born January 15, in Edeje Irhodo, Jesse, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria) is a Nigerian politician, entrepreneur, and community advocate.

    He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Mondiloh Ltd, a travel solutions company specializing in tourism, visa processing, and travel support services for individuals and organizations.

    Under his leadership, the firm has grown into a reputable brand in Nigeria’s travel industry.

    Read Also: How Global Mondiloh is changing lives through travel and beyond

    Beyond business, Achoja is actively engaged in grassroots politics and community development in Delta State.

    He has supported several initiatives focused on youth empowerment, social welfare, and the improvement of local infrastructure in his constituency.

    By combining political engagement with entrepreneurial vision, Achoja continues to champion sustainable development while building opportunities for growth within his community.

  • 5,000 Itsekiri graduates of Novena Varsity not part of scholarship beneficiaries – PAP

    5,000 Itsekiri graduates of Novena Varsity not part of scholarship beneficiaries – PAP

    …we are not owning fees in any institution

    The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has said that it is not owing school fees of 5000 students of Itsekiri extraction in Novena University, Ogume, Delta State.

    In a statement on Tuesday by Mr. Igoniko Oduma, Special Assistant on Media to the PAP Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, PAP stated that the agency is not owing fees in Novena or any institution within or outside the country.

    The Sole Representative of His Royal Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, the Olu of Warri to NNPLC, had alleged that the Amnesty Programme is “indebted” to Novena University concerning “all Itsekiri students” who graduated from the institution purportedly under the programme’s scholarship scheme.

    But reacting to the claim, PAP said that there were no records in Novena University and the Amnesty Office concerning award of scholarship to the 5000 Itsekiri students of the institution.

    PAP explained in the statement that the report of an inquiry into the issue by previous heads of the agency revealed that the 5000 Itsekiri indigenes were sent to the management of Novena university by the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) in 2017 without the involvement of the agency.

    It added that it was not conceivable for the PAP to take responsibility for the students who were not deployed by the agency.

    The statement reads, “The management of PAP wishes to state unequivocally that it is not owing Novena university any tuition fees on account of the said Itsekiri graduates and any claim to the contrary is totally false, baseless, and represents an attempt to stand truth on its head.

    “PAP wishes to say also that it is not owing tuition fees in any institution within or outside the country.

    “To set the records straight, it is necessary to inform the public that the affected Itsekiri graduates were a subject of a formal investigation launched by a previous PAP leadership into allegations of scholarship admission racketeering under the programme’s formal education at Novena. Three other partnering universities were also investigated.

    “The report of the inquiry showed that the affected Itsekiri graduates constituted a list of 5000 Itsekiri indigenes that was sent to the management of Novena university by the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) in 2017 purporting them to be PAP scholarship beneficiaries.

    “The investigation revealed that the list in question did not emanate from the PAP, and did not also have any authorization or approval of the Amnesty Programme office. Therefore, the affected Itsekiri indigenes could not have been deemed to be beneficiaries of the PAP scholarship scheme.

    “Additionally, the inquiry also revealed that there was no correspondence between the PAP and Novena university indicating that the PAP approved the purported list of 5000 Itsekiri students to be deployed to the institution.

    “The investigative committee, during its work, met with the INYC president and the secretary, as well as principal officers of Novena university led by its Vice-Chancellor who could not produce any documentation between the PAP and the institution on the affected Itsekiri graduates.

    “At the end of the exercise, the PAP duly informed the management of Novena university that the Amnesty Programme office would not bear any liability for the affected students. Doing so would have amounted to encouraging sharp practices.

    “Therefore, the PAP could not have accepted responsibility and obligation where it had none. The affected Itsekiri graduates of Novena university that the Olu’s palace is intervening for, were never beneficiaries of the amnesty programme’s scholarship.

    “All the PAP administrations that preceded the current one headed by the Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, had seen the official report of the investigation and they respected the incontrovertible truth so established.

    “Thankfully, Dr Otuaro has expanded the PAP scholarship scheme in order to create more access to higher education for ex-agitators and beneficiaries, and aggressively bridge the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta.

    “His noble reforms and initiatives to ensure that the PAP renders efficient service to the people of the Niger Delta have been applauded in official quarters, as well as by all well-meaning individuals and organisations.

    “Dr Otuaro remains unwaveringly committed to deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate, especially through his policy of inclusivity, to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for the Niger Delta.”

  • As hurricane Odey sweeps across the North, leaving trails of sweetness

    As hurricane Odey sweeps across the North, leaving trails of sweetness

    • Linus Obogo 

    From Obanliku, crisscrossing Obudu, Bekwarra, Yala with Ogoja as the melting pot, the Northern Senatorial District of Cross River was aglow with renewed fervor as the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon (Dr) Peter Odey, undertook a five-local government areas tour that was more than an official outing. It was a pilgrimage of culture, unity, and sweetness. From Ogoja to Obanliku, the echoes of drumming feet, the colours of dancing fabrics, and the warmth of communal embrace testify to a people reawakened by leadership with a listening heart.

    Like a storm that does not destroy but fertilizes, Odey’s tour has swept across the northern landscape with a hurricane’s energy and a farmer’s patience. Villages and towns have become theaters of joy, where communities pour out their dances, tell their stories, and offer their loyalty in celebration of a government that remembers its people. It is the “Season of Sweetness” not as rhetoric but as lived reality, alive in the faces of market women, farmers, youths, and elders who thronged out to welcome him.

    At every stop, the Deputy Governor became less of an emissary of government and more of a bridge between the people and their destiny. His words, heavy with reassurance, painted a vision of inclusion where no voice is too faint and no culture too small to matter. “This administration belongs to you, and it is for you,” Odey declared with conviction, his voice rising above the hum of anticipation. “We are committed to ensuring that every community feels the sweetness of governance.”

    The tour has become a rolling carnival of identity, a celebration where masquerades and maiden dancers weave the threads of heritage into the garment of unity. The colors of the north—its foods, festivals, and rhythms—have met the melody of government presence, creating a symphony where culture and governance dance in harmony. For the Deputy Governor, culture is not a relic of the past but the soul of a people, and by celebrating it, he affirms their pride of place in the state’s collective journey.

    Beyond the dancing and drumming, Odey’s visit also carried the weight of purposeful engagement. In town halls and village squares, he listened attentively as farmers spoke of roads, as women raised concerns of health facilities, and as youths dreamt aloud of skills and opportunities. Each voice was not dismissed as noise but gathered into the fabric of government’s promise—a testament to the administration’s “People First” philosophy.

    Observers note that the Deputy Governor’s northern odyssey is both symbolic and strategic. Symbolic, because it reconnects government to the grassroots heartbeat; strategic, because it fosters the unity without which development remains an empty shell. The north, often seen as the cultural citadel of Cross River, has now been given the sweet assurance that it is also at the center of governance and progress.

    Indeed, Peter Odey’s tour has turned into a tapestry of belonging. Where once there may have been distance, now there is closeness. Where once there may have been skepticism, now there is faith. The Deputy Governor has not merely visited communities; he has inhabited their hopes, embraced their concerns, and amplified their dreams into the corridors of power.

    As the caravan of sweetness rolled on, it left in its wake not only mud splashing from village paths but also the fragrance of promise rising from grateful hearts. In this unfolding season, the north has rediscovered itself—not as a forgotten corner, but as a vibrant pulse in the Cross River story. And at the center of this rediscovery stands Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, the hurricane that sweeps with grace, unites with purpose, and leaves behind the sweetness of hope.

    Obogo is Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser to Governor Bassey Otu on Media and Publicity

  • PAP disowns 5000 Itsekiri graduates of Novena Varsity

    PAP disowns 5000 Itsekiri graduates of Novena Varsity

    …says ‘we are not owing fees in any institution’

    The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has clarified that it is not owing school fees of 5000 students of Itsekiri extraction in Novena University, Ogume, Delta State, explaining that the students are not part of its scholarship scheme.

    The PAP in a statement on Tuesday signed by the Special Assistant on Media to its Administrator, Igoniko Oduma, insisted that it was not owing fees in Novena or any institution within or outside the country.

    PAP was reacting to claims by the so-called Office of the Sole Representative of His Royal Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri to NNPLC that the Amnesty Programme was “indebted” to Novena University concerning “all Itsekiri students” who graduated from the institution purportedly under the programme’s scholarship scheme.

    The monarch’s agent, Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema, reportedly made the curious claim in a statement that the alleged liability compelled the Olu’s palace to announce an intervention to settle the “outstanding tuition and clearance fees” of all the affected Itsekiri graduates of Novena.

    But PAP said there were no records in Novena University and the Amnesty Office concerning award of scholarship to the 5000 Itsekiri students of the institution.

    PAP explained that the report of an inquiry into the issue by previous heads of the agency revealed that the 5000 Itsekiri indigenes were sent to the management of Novena University by the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) in 2017 without its involvement.

    The scheme added that it was not conceivable for the PAP to take responsibility for the students who were not deployed by the agency.

    The statement said, “The management of PAP wishes to state unequivocally that it is not owing Novena University any tuition fees on account of the said Itsekiri graduates and any claim to the contrary is totally false, baseless, and represents an attempt to stand truth on its head.

    “PAP wishes to say also that it is not owing tuition fees in any institution within or outside the country.

    “To set the records straight, it is necessary to inform the public that the affected Itsekiri graduates were a subject of a formal investigation launched by a previous PAP leadership into allegations of scholarship admission racketeering under the programme’s formal education at Novena. Three other partnering universities were also investigated.

    Read Also: Kemepadei, Tompolo, PAP coordinator launch voter sensitisation, empowerment drive in Niger Delta

    “The report of the inquiry showed that the affected Itsekiri graduates constituted a list of 5000 Itsekiri indigenes that was sent to the management of Novena university by the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) in 2017 purporting them to be PAP  scholarship beneficiaries.

    “The investigation revealed that the list in question did not emanate from the PAP, and did not also have any authorization or approval of the Amnesty Programme office. Therefore, the affected Itsekiri indigenes could not have been deemed to be beneficiaries of the PAP scholarship scheme.

    “Additionally, the inquiry also revealed that there was no correspondence between the PAP and Novena university indicating that the PAP approved the purported list of 5000 Itsekiri students to be deployed to the institution.

    “The investigative committee, during its work, met with the INYC president and the secretary, as well as principal officers of Novena University led by its Vice-Chancellor who could not produce any documentation between the PAP and the institution on the affected Itsekiri graduates.

    “At the end of the exercise, the PAP duly informed the management of Novena University that the Amnesty Programme office would not bear any liability for the affected students. Doing so would have amounted to encouraging sharp practices.

    “Therefore, the PAP could not have accepted responsibility and obligation where it had none. The affected Itsekiri graduates of Novena University that the Olu’s palace is intervening for, were never beneficiaries of the amnesty programme’s scholarship.

    “All the PAP administrations that preceded the current one headed by the Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, had seen the official report of the investigation and they respected the incontrovertible truth so established”.

    The statement said that Otuaro had expanded the PAP scholarship scheme in order to create more access to higher education for ex-agitators and beneficiaries, and aggressively bridge the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta.

    “His noble reforms and initiatives to ensure that the PAP renders efficient service to the people of the Niger Delta have been applauded in official quarters, as well as by all well-meaning individuals and organisations.

    “Dr Otuaro remains unwaveringly committed to deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate, especially through his policy of inclusivity, to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for the Niger Delta”, the statement said.

  • Ijaw forum urges FG to decentralise pipeline surveillance contracts in Niger Delta

    Ijaw forum urges FG to decentralise pipeline surveillance contracts in Niger Delta

    The Southern Ijaw Unity Forum has called on the federal government to decentralise pipeline surveillance contracts to include all major stakeholders in the Niger Delta.

    The group warned that Nigeria is making little progress in tackling oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and illegal refining under the current arrangement.

    Chairman of the Forum, Comrade Timothy Amadiowei, in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Bashir Ojulari, and National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, advised against renewing contracts for existing beneficiaries, insisting that the strategy has failed.

    Amadiowei criticised past administrations for awarding surveillance contracts to a single individual with the hope of ending oil theft, a move he argued has instead worsened insecurity in the region.

    He said this approach sidelined other ex-agitators and freedom fighters who contributed to peace and stability in the Niger Delta, citing Alhaji Asari Dokubo and Endurance Amagbein as examples of stakeholders who were neglected.

    According to him, government claims of success in the fight against oil theft are “only in the news,” while in reality the illegal trade persists, with filling stations nationwide still selling adulterated petroleum products.

     “The only solution to oil theft and illegal refining is decentralization,” Amadiowei said. “Every stakeholder is angry with the current arrangement. How can one man from Delta State, whose kingdom comprises just eight communities, be awarded a surveillance contract to secure pipelines in territories belonging to other stakeholders, like Bayelsa?”

    He argued that ex-agitators such as Asari Dokubo, King Ateke Tom, and Endurance Amagbein understand the terrain and should be brought on board.

    “Let everybody secure their own domains,” he added. “If anybody is doing illegal bunkering in my community, I know them and know how to deal with them, but a stranger does not. This is not the time to re-award all pipeline surveillance jobs to one man. This is the time to share it among major stakeholders so the entire region is covered and oil theft can finally end.”

  • Kemepadei, Tompolo, PAP coordinator launch voter sensitisation, empowerment drive in Niger Delta

    Kemepadei, Tompolo, PAP coordinator launch voter sensitisation, empowerment drive in Niger Delta

    A prominent stakeholder in the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Apostle Bodmas Prince Kemepadei, has flagged off voter awareness and sensitisation campaigns across the Niger Delta coastal communities.

    The initiative, aimed at boosting the ongoing voter registration exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections, is being carried out in collaboration with the Chairman of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), and PAP Coordinator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro.

    Kicking off the exercise in Koluama, Bayelsa State, Kemepadei, who also chairs the Izon Cultural Heritage Centre (ICHC), said the campaign targets hard-to-reach communities along the Atlantic coastline.

    Beyond sensitisation, the outreach also included empowerment programmes, with the distribution of cash, school materials, fishing nets, clippers, uniforms, sandals, and other work tools to hundreds of beneficiaries.

    Read Also: Synod to detractors: leave Tompolo alone

    Kemepadei described the exercise as a movement of renewed hope, stressing that the Niger Delta must embrace peace, productivity, and support for President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, while shunning vices such as pipeline vandalism, oil theft, and lawlessness.

    He added that the campaign, carried out in solidarity with Tompolo and Dr. Otuaro’s leadership, would be extended to other targeted communities across Bayelsa and the region.

    One of the beneficiaries, Paghaebi Amos, commended the gesture and pledged support for the programmes and policies of the Tinubu administration.

  • Niger Delta youth leaders back ongoing reforms in NNPCL

    Niger Delta youth leaders back ongoing reforms in NNPCL

    The Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council (NDENYC) has backed ongoing reforms in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.)

    President-General of NDENYC, Mr. Terry Obieh, welcomed the decision of President Bola Tinubu to retain the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mr Bashir Ojulari, despite the call for Ojulari’s removal.

    The group distanced itself from the recent protest at the NNPCL Towers in Abuja, where a group demanded the resignation of Ojulari, over alleged corruption and mismanagement.

    At a press briefing in Abuja, Obieh said that Ojulari should be allowed to continue with the reforms currently being implemented in the national oil company.

    He said, “We appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for refusing to be swayed by calls for the sack of the NNPC GCEO.

    “We emphasise the need to allow Ojulari to continue with the reforms currently being implemented in the company.”

    Obieh said that Ojulari, who assumed office in April 2025, has introduced measures aimed at improving transparency, raising oil output, and stabilising domestic fuel supply.

    He stated, “Within his first 100 days, he strengthened collaboration with upstream partners and enhanced security along key pipelines, which helped raise daily crude oil production from 1.2 million barrels to 1.8 million barrels by August 2025.

    “NNPC also resumed publishing its monthly financial and operational reports, which had been suspended for three years. Efforts have also begun to revive the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries, easing fuel supply pressures.

    Read Also: Olagbegi: NNPCL’s Odeh, Adewunmi will be instrumental to increased investment

    “Ojulari’s reform agenda, including implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), has faced resistance from entrenched interests.

    “This has led to misinformation campaigns, including recent false claims of his resignation.

    “We understand that resistance to reforms is expected, but we remain confident that transparency will prevail.”

    The Niger Delta youth leader urged NNPC Ltd. to maintain standards of transparency, accountability, and efficiency in order to rebuild public trust and strengthen its position as Nigeria’s leading national asset.