By Obiabin Onukwugha
Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, has called for climate reparations and environmental justice for the Niger Delta, saying communities in the region have suffered decades of environmental degradation while contributing immensely to Nigeria’s economic growth.
Momoh, stated this while delivering a Keynote Address at the opening session of the Niger Delta Climate Change Conference, under the theme: “Unite for Justice”, convened by the Lekeh Development Foundation, LEDEF, in Port Harcourt on Tuesday,
Momoh, who was represented by his Senior Technical Assistant, Frederick Odika, described the conference theme as an urgent call for justice. “The theme of this conference is no longer a distant plea; it is an urgent, non-negotiable demand for justice. It is not merely a slogan; it is a demand to rewrite the narrative of our region,” he said
The minister regretted that despite being the engine room of Nigeria’s economy for more than six decades the region has paid a heavy price through oil spills, gas flaring and environmental degradation. “The Niger Delta has functioned as the engine room of Nigeria’s economic prosperity, yet it was treated as a sacrifice zone,” he said.
According to him, the destruction of the environment has devastated the livelihoods of farmers, fishermen and local communities whose survival depends on the region’s land and waters, noting that although the Niger Delta contributes only a fraction of global carbon emissions, it bears the brunt of climate change impacts.
“The Niger Delta is on the frontline of flooding, sea-level rise and coastal erosion that threaten to submerge our communities,” he said.
He argued that responding to climate change in the region requires more than policy discussions and technical clean-up exercises. “The damage done is both ecological and economic, requiring systemic restoration and accountability. “The multinational corporations and international stakeholders who extracted billions in profits from our soil owe an ecological debt to our people,” he said.
The minister called on oil companies leaving the region to take responsibility for environmental restoration and compensation before abandoning their operations. He also advocated a transition to renewable energy that is community-driven and beneficial to local people. Momoh also urged governments and stakeholders to support sustainable agriculture and strengthen local communities’ resilience to climate impacts.
“It is time for a transition to renewable energy systems that are owned, managed and driven by the communities themselves. “We do not need pity; we need restitution, accountability and the restoration of our environment,” he said.
Describing the Niger Delta as the “epicentre of environmental injustice,” the minister emphasised that climate justice cannot be separated from historical and economic accountability.
He added that climate reparations should include environmental restoration, clean-up of polluted lands and groundwater, investment in renewable energy projects, creation of green jobs and healthcare interventions for affected communities. “The time for climate reparations is now,” he declared.
Momoh urged participants at the conference to remain committed to building a climate-resilient Niger Delta and ensuring a prosperous future for generations to come. “Our quest is not just for survival, it is for justice, for dignity and for reparations. Let us rise together to build a resilient, just and sustainable Niger Delta,” the minister added.
Speaking with journalists, executive director of Lekeh Development Foundation, LEDEF, and convener of the conference, Friday Mbani, warned the federal government against oil resumption in Ogoni.
Mbani insisted that the federal government cannot resume oil production in Ogoni without addressing the issues that led to the crisis. He also regretted that several years after after the UNEP report, the cleanup has not expanded beyond Ogoni to other Niger Delta communities.
“There is blood on Ogoni oil. The UNEP report recommended for Ogoni Trust Fund, but the Federal government later established the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project HYPREP, as a roadmap for the Niger Delta cleanup. But it is a shame that several years after, we are yet to achieve that and the Tinubu government is talking about oil resumption,” Mbani stated.
He added that the government must find sustainable ways of addressing the Niger Delta environmental crisis.
