Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has raised some ethical questions over a Financial and Technical Services Agreement (FTSA) between Sahara Energy and West African Gas Limited (WAGL), an affiliate of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) alleged to be involved in oil mining license, OML 11. MOSOP said the agreement was not done in good faith, not in the interest of the Nigerian people and did not follow due process. President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke who made this known weekend described the Sahara-WAGL deal as fraudulent, deceptive and an insult on the intelligence and integrity of the Nigerian nation.
Nsuke called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to cancel that FTSA between Sahara Energy and WAGL, noting that the agreement is fraught with irregularities and obviously deceptive. “What Sahara and the NNPC did in the FTSA between Sahara and WAGL is so shameful and depicts high level corruption in public service of our country” WAGL is an affiliate of Sahara and the NNPC. How then can Sahara go into an agreement with its own affiliate? It’s as good as going into an agreement with itself. This is deceptive and fraudulent” Nsuke said.
“Sahara Energy is certainly not a company the Ogoni people want on their soil and we are calling on Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to terminate any deal between the NNPC and Sahara Energy over OML 11 and to allow for an inclusive arrangement that considers a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in the distribution of revenues from natural resource extraction on Ogoni soil. The last Ogoni Congress has been unequivocal on the Ogoni demand for justice and has given a clear path to resolve the three decade old conflict between all critical parties. It will be good to explore this path to peace and development for Ogoni and for our country.” Nsuke said.
Nsuke accused Sahara Energy and the NNPC of frustrating the progress made by MOSOP to achieve a permanent solution to the Ogoni problem. He urged a presidential intervention with deep consideration for a fair treatment of the Ogoni people so as to permanently address the problem.
He noted that Sahara Energy should give up on the Ogoni area to allow to an engagement in the interest of the country and the people. Recall that MOSOP and Sahara Energy have recently been engaged in a row in what MOSOP describes as an unholy relationship between Sahara Energy and the NNPC over OML 11. MOSOP expressly rejected Sahara Energy and called for a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in natural resource extraction in their land.