MOSOP requires strict environmental compliance as Ogoniland wetlands gain global recognition

The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has called on the federal government and oil companies to strictly adhere to international wetland conservation standards before any resumption of oil operations in Ogoniland, following the area’s designation as a Ramsar site of international importance.

MOSOP President, Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu, made the appeal in a statement issued to journalists in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. He described the Ramsar recognition as a historic milestone that validates the ecological significance of Ogoniland’s wetland systems and strengthens the Ogoni people’s decades-long advocacy for environmental justice.

According to Wai-Ogosu, listing by the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands places Ogoniland within a global network of ecologically sensitive areas that must be conserved under internationally binding conservation frameworks. He highlighted that this recognition introduces new legal and environmental obligations that will have to shape all future government policies and business activities in the region.

The MOSOP leader specifically warned that any plans to restart hydrocarbon exploration or production in the area must be subject to comprehensive environmental impact assessments in line with Ramsar Convention obligations. He insisted that no activity – whether by oil companies, contractors or government agencies – should be allowed to compromise the ecological character of wetlands.

Wai-Ogosu commended the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), led by Nenibarini Zabbey, for its contribution in securing international recognition. He noted that after years of environmental damage caused by poorly regulated oil operations, the designation marks a turning point in how the region is perceived and managed.

He further said that Ogoniland should no longer be seen solely as an oil-producing territory but as an internationally recognized ecological asset, the protection of which is now linked to Nigeria’s global environmental commitments.

MOSOP, he said, will continue to monitor developments closely and will not hesitate to engage both national and international accountability mechanisms to ensure that obligations related to the Ramsar designation are fully respected and enforced.