Traditional rulers and elders from Nigeria’s oil-producing communities, under the aegis of the Host Communities Producing Oil & Gas (HOSCON), have issued a strong call on the Federal Government to immediately activate and fully utilise all seaports in the South-South, warning that continued neglect amounts to economic sabotage.
Rising from a high-level press conference on the state of the nation held in Jesse on Monday, the HOSCON Traditional Rulers and Elders Advisory Council said the deliberate underuse of South-South ports is depriving the nation of massive revenue, worsening unemployment and placing unbearable pressure on already failing regional roads.
Speaking with unmistakable urgency, the Chairman of the Council and Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, His Majesty King Obukowho Monday PhD, Udurhie I, declared that reviving the ports would inject fresh life into the national economy while easing the deepening hardship in the Niger Delta.
The monarch recalled the Nigerian Ports Authority’s policy statement on decentralising port operations to address chronic congestion at Lagos ports – a move that sparked intense debate among stakeholders in November and December 2025 – insisting that the time for hesitation has passed.
Also in attendance were respected traditional leaders including HRM Ekpolo II, Ovie of Okpe-Isoko; HRM Polokowei Johnbull, Pere of Ogbolubiri Mein Kingdom; HRM Paul Ifeneziuche, Igwete of Amai Kingdom, as well as the National Chairman of HOSCON, Dr. Micheal Emuh.
As the nation steps into 2026, HOSCON said it was imperative to clearly articulate its position on port decentralisation and other critical issues confronting the oil-rich region.
“The Federal Government must, as a matter of national necessity, ensure the full utilisation of Sapele, Warri, Burutu, Koko, Onne and the Ibom Deep Seaport,” the Ovie stated. “These ports possess enormous capacity to create thousands of jobs, grow federal revenue and drastically reduce the heavy burden currently destroying South-South roads.”
Beyond port operations, the council demanded urgent and sustained rehabilitation of key federal highways across the region, singling out the Benin–Sapele–Warri axis and the Akwa Ibom–Calabar corridor as neglected economic lifelines.
“The roads from Benin City through Sapele, Warri, Ughelli, Port Harcourt, Oron, Akwa Ibom to Calabar have suffered years of decay,” the monarch said. “A deliberate and coordinated federal intervention is no longer optional—it is overdue.”
Appealing directly to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, HOSCON urged a renewed focus on people-centred, legacy projects that would restore dignity, security and prosperity to the Niger Delta. The council emphasized that deeper inclusion of host communities in the oil and gas value chain remains critical to sustainable development and regional stability.
The rulers also commended Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) for its role in improving crude oil production and environmental protection, calling on the Federal Government to expand the scope of the security surveillance contract in the national interest.
“We have no hesitation in urging the Federal Government to urgently expand the operational mandate of the Tantita Security project,” the council affirmed.
In addition, HOSCON threw its weight behind ongoing reforms in the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), expressing confidence in the current leadership and warning that sponsored protests and baseless allegations must not be allowed to undermine youth-focused educational and empowerment initiatives.
