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Tag: Ogoniland

  • Ogoniland, Buhari, Jonathan and history

    On May 21, 1994, Ken Saro-Wiwa; Ledum Mitee, Dr. Barinem Kiobel and twelve others were arrested by soldiers and charged with the murder of the four prominent Ogoni sons.

    Saro-Wiwa, like other suspects, was severely beaten and injured, even before interrogation, and his legs were chained together for ten days, in spite of his heart condition.

    The Justice Ibrahim Auta-led Ogoni Civil Disturbances Tribunal, set up by the then Head of State, General Sani Abacha, was inaugurated by the then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mohammed Bello, in November 1994, to try the fifteen Ogoni men, who were charged with the killing of the Ogoni-Four. The trial commenced in February 1995, while the members of the tribunal were sitting in Port Harcourt.

    Saro-Wiwa and others, except Mitee, were hanged after a kangaroo trial. At the heart of Ogoni’s crisis is oil giant Shell, which the people eventually banished. Its land and water are polluted and not useful for productive use. And when former President Goodluck Jonathan, who spent the bulk of growing up years in Rivers State, where Ogoniland is, became President, the people were hopeful that the clean-up of the area would be done. Jonathan spent six years as president and failed the Ogoni people.

    Buhari seems ready to perform where he failed. On Wednesday, the president approved the full implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) environmental assessment of Ogoniland. It is a fulfillment of his electioneering campaign.

    During the 2015 presidential campaigns, he visited Ogoniland and he promised the stakeholders that upon his election as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he would ensure the full implementation of the recommendations contained in the UNEP report. The Ogoni are excited.

    On August 4, 2011, the 262-page UNEP’s main report was received by Jonathan. He set up a Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC), headed by the ex-Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    The primary objective of the PIC was to review the UNEP report and make recommendations to the Federal Government on the remedial and long-term solutions. The report of the committee was subsequently submitted to former President Jonathan, without the content made public.

    Rather than implementing the UNEP report, the Jonathan’s administration, on the eve of the first anniversary of the release of the all-encompassing and strategic UNEP report, set up the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) on July 20, 2012.

    The inauguration of HYPREP was based on the provisions of the Petroleum Act CAP 350 LFN 2004, as a special unit under the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, to cover all pollution sites in the Niger Delta and other parts of Nigeria.

    HYPREP is to investigate and evaluate all hydrocarbon polluted communities and sites in Nigeria and make recommendations to the Federal Government. HYPREP will also restore all the communities and sites established as impacted by hydrocarbon pollution in Nigeria.

    An Ogoni daughter, Mrs. Joy Nunieh-Okunnu, was appointed as the National Coordinator HYPREP, but MOSOP kicked against the Federal Government’s HYPREP initiative, while insisting on the full implementation of the UNEP report.

    The UNEP report stated that the water in Nsisioken-Ogale-Eleme, Eleme (Ogoni) Local Government Area of Rivers State, contained cancer-causing Benzene (carcinogen), which was 900 times the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) standards for water contamination, thereby requiring urgent attention.

    The report also revealed that the sustainable environmental restoration of Ogoniland would take up to 20 years to achieve and would require coordinated efforts from government agencies at all levels, thereby recommending that the Federal Government should establish an Ogoniland Environmental Restoration Authority.

    The UNEP report indicated that the full environmental restoration of Ogoniland would be a project, which would take 30 years to complete, after the pollution had been brought to an end, while recommending the establishment of an Environmental Restoration Fund for Ogoniland, with initial fund of $1 billion for capacity building, skill transfer and conflict resolution and that the management of the fund should be the responsibility of the Ogoniland Environmental Restoration Authority.

    Following a meeting on the directive of President Buhari, it was also agreed that a deposit of $10 million would be made by stakeholders, within 30 days of the appointment of members of the BoT for the trust fund, who will be responsible for collecting and managing funds from contributors and donors.

    A new implementation template has also been evolved at the instance of President Buhari and the environmental clean-up of Ogoniland will commence in earnest with the President’s inauguration of the HYPREP Governing Council and the Board of Trustees for the trust fund.

    Between Buhari and Jonathan, who will history judge right? The answer depends on whether or not the president sees through his implementation template. Ogoni, Nigerians and the world are watching.

  • Clean-up of Ogoniland: PDP, South-South APC, MOSOP hail Buhari’s approval of implementation of UNEP report

    Clean-up of Ogoniland: PDP, South-South APC, MOSOP hail Buhari’s approval of implementation of UNEP report

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State chapter, and the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), have described as a welcome development, President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of the full implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Ogoniland’s environmental assessment.

    The Rivers PDP, through its Chairman, Chief Felix Obuah, yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, noted that President Buhari’s action on UNEP and Ogoniland was in tandem with Governor Nyesom Wike’s restoration programme in the state.

    MOSOP, through its President, Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, congratulated the President Buhari-led Federal Government of Nigeria for also approving the setting up of the governing structures to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the UNEP report on Ogoniland.

    The umbrella organisation of Ogoni people said: “Coming at a time of growing skepticism, driven by experiences of untoward politicisation of implementation of the report by the immediate past administration (of President Goodluck Jonathan), the approval demonstrates a comforting shift from rhetoric to matching words with action, which expresses commitment. The action will rebuild and strengthen the confidence of our (Ogoni) people in the government.

    “In reciprocation of the Federal Government’s response to our outcries, MOSOP pledges to cooperate with the administration (of President Buhari) and other stakeholders to ensure a successful implementation of the recommendations of the report.

    “While we applaud the approach on UNEP report, we will plead with the Federal Government not to delay the constitution of the approved governance structures, to enable urgent commencement of the Ogoni environmental remediation and restoration exercise. We will implore Mr. President to, as a matter of urgency, call for nominations from the defined stakeholders to enhance composition of the Governing Council and the Board of Trustees of the intervention agency.”

    The PDP, while urging President Buhari to match words with actions on the UNEP report, stated that the decision would fast-track the clean-up of Ogoniland.

    The party lauded the President for not discontinuing a process started by previous administrations, which led to the commissioning of UNEP activities in Ogoni and the setting up of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP), particularly by the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, all of which were being gazetted.

    The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-South also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the recommendations of the report.

    The National Vice Chairman of the party in the zone, Prince Hilliard Eta, said in a statement signed by his media aide, Bassey Ita, that the President’s action was an indication that the President Buhari was fully ready to ensure the welfare of all Nigerians as contained in his campaign promises.

    The APC chieftain, who expressed confidence that the government will turn around the economy of the region, also urged the electorate in Bayelsa State to embrace change in the coming governorship election.

    Eta assured that the undue harassment of APC members in the state will soon become history, as the party was reaching out to relevant authorities to put a stop to the menace of the PDP-led authorities.

     

  • Buhari approves environmental clean-up of Ogoniland

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday approved several actions to fast-track the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report on  Ogoniland in Rivers State.

    The approval, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, were based on the recommendations by UNEP’s Executive Director, the UNEP Special Representative for Ogoniland, permanent secretaries in the Federal Ministries of Environment and Petroleum Resources and other stakeholders.

    The approvals include the amendment to the Official Gazette establishing the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) to reflect a new governance framework, comprising a Governing Council, a Board of Trustees (BoT) and Project Management.

    The statement reads: “The President further approved that the HYPREP Governing Council should be composed as follows: Ministry of Petroleum Resources – one representative; Federal Ministry of Environment – one representative; Impacted States (Rivers) – one representative; Oil Companies and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) – four representatives; Ogoniland – two representatives; United Nations System – one representative; Secretariat – headed by the Project Manager.

    “He (President) also approved the composition of a BoT for the HYPREP Trust Fund as follows: Federal Government – one representative; NNPC – one representative; International oil companies – one representative; Ogoniland – one representative and United Nations System – one representative.”

    Following a meeting on the directive of President Buhari, the statement said it was also agreed that a contribution deposit of $10 million would be made by stakeholders within 30 days of the appointment of members of the BoT for the trust fund, who would be responsible for collecting and managing funds from contributors and donors.

    “A new implementation template has also been evolved at the instance of President Buhari, and the environmental clean-up of Ogoniland will commence in earnest with the President’s inauguration of the HYPREP Governing Council and the Board of Trustees for the Trust Fund,” the statement added.

  • Buhari approves cleaning up of Ogoniland

    Buhari approves cleaning up of Ogoniland

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday approved several actions to fast-track the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme Report on Ogoniland.

    The actions approved by President Buhari, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, were based on recommendations to him by the Executive Director of UNEP, the UNEP Special Representative for Ogoniland, Permanent Secretaries of the Federal Ministries of Environment and Petroleum Resources, and other stakeholders, include the amendment of the Official Gazette establishing the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) to reflect a new governance framework comprising a Governing Council, a Board of Trustees and Project Management.

    The statement reads: “The President further approved that the HYPREP Governing Council should be composed as follows: Ministry of Petroleum Resources (One representative), Federal Ministry of Environment (One representative), Impacted States (Rivers) – One Representative, Oil Companies and NNPC ( Four representatives), Ogoniland ( Two representatives), United Nations System  (One representative) and Secretariat – Headed by Project Manager.”

    “He also approved the composition of a Board of Trustees for the HYPREP Trust Fund as follows: Federal Government (One representative), NNPC (One representative), International Oil Companies (One representative, Ogoniland (One representative) and United Nations System (One representative).”

    Following a meeting held on the directive of President Buhari, the statement said that it was also agreed that a contribution deposit of $10 million will be made by stakeholders within 30 days of the appointment of members of the Board of Trustees for the Trust Fund who will be responsible for collecting and managing funds from contributors and donors.

    “A new implementation template has also been evolved at the instance of President Buhari, and the environmental clean-up of Ogoniland will commence in earnest with the President’s inauguration of the HYPREP Governing Council and the Board of Trustees for the Trust Fund,” It added

     

  • Oil exploration in Ogoniland: Firm signs agreement with communities

    Indigenes of Kegbara Dere (K-Dere) communities of Gokana local Government area of Rivers state have entered into agreement with with Belema Oil and Gas Producing Company to take over oil exploration business in their land.

    The agreement which was brokered in a brief ceremony in Port Harcourt, the state capital yesterday clearly spelt out terms of business between the two parties.

    In their separate speeches shortly after the signing, the Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director (CEO/MD), Belema oil, Tien Jack-Rich and the Paramount Ruler of K-Dere Communities, HRH. Chief Donald K.Gberesuu respectively expressed satisfaction on the outcome of the signing event and assured each party’s readiness to respect the term of the agreement.

    Jack-Rich also used the event to meet and hand over the 300 bags of fertilizer and N10 million cheque to peasant farmers, youths and indigent members of the community, to support their farming projects for the year among other needs.

    Jack-Rich said, “We’ve just signed agreement to assure K-Dere communities that they will have 10 per cent dividend from the profits we will make from oil exploration in their communities annually.

    “This is the first time they are receiving such offer and they are excited about it.

    “K-Dere communities have the largest bulk of oil produced in OgoniLand, spanning over 60 per cent of Ogoni oil. The agreement talks about the relationship between Belema oil and our host communities, it stated their acceptance of the company to come and take-over oil exploration in in OML 11 formerly owned by SHELL.

    “We have agreed to give the Ogonis 10 per cent of whatever we produce from their land, (Profit after tax) while we take eight per cent of it. The People are very eager and happy to sign this agreement with our company to ascertain their partnership relationship with Belema Oil, with the view of securing the future of their generation, because they will not just going to be dividend sharing partners but will also benefit from the technical and non-technical services of the business.

    “Apart from oil and gas companies, wherein we are looking at setting up refinery, gas processing unit and Petro-chemical platform, we are also going to bring in local community type auto-mobile in Ogoni Land.

    “Our plan is to transform Ogoni Land into an industrial hub which would translate into the creation of employments that will open up, develop the area.

    “ This will in turn empower every indigene of the area and wipe out criminality because everybody will have what to do to get going in life.”

    According to him, his plan of transforming OgoniLand is not particular to K-Dere communities but the entire Ogoni, stressing that every part of the area paid the ultimate price for the mineral deposit in the area.

    Clearing the issue of initial resistance in some quarters of the area said it has been addressed.

    He explained that those who mounted the resistance thought that exploration would begin as soon as he(Belema) takes-over, but maintained that there would be no exploration until the impacted areas and other legacy issues that must be addressed first.

    “My focus is not just K-Dere communities, but because they have the highest quantity of oil, they are heavily impacted by the mess that must be cleaned before any further production can begin.

    “The resistance has been taken care of. There was a misunderstanding that production will start the moment the licence was issued, but not all. Taking over does not mean starting production immediately, there are legacy issues, clean-up and UNEP report issues that must be addressed before any other thing can be done in the area.” he explained.

    Also speaking Chief Gberesuu expressed the hope that the agreement signed has ushered his community and their members into good fortune and urged the people to pray for sustained peace in their land to enjoy the good things to come.

  • Oil exploration: Ogoni okay indigenous firm to replace Shell

    Oil exploration: Ogoni okay indigenous firm to replace Shell

    Ogoni people yesterday maintained their stand that Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) would not return to Ogoniland. But they have agreed to allow an indigenous firm, Belemaoil Producing Limited, to resume oil exploration and exploitation in the four Ogoni Local Government Areas of Khana, Gokana, Eleme and Tai.

    The Anglo/Dutch oil giant was sent packing from Ogoniland in 1993.

    The latest decision of the Ogoni was contained in a communiqué issued yesterday in Port Harcourt by the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Gininwa, and other rulers of the communities in Ogoniland.

    The communiqué, which was read by the paramount ruler of Ogale-Eleme, King Godwin Bebe-Okpabi, endorsed the resumption at the indigenous firm for oil operations in Ogoniland.

    The communique reads: “We hereby accept, present, endorse and declare Belemaoil Producing Limited to all Ogoni people, Shell Africa, Shell Investor Group, the Federal Government of Nigeria, World Investors Finance Groups, Finance Group, United Nations, all Human Rights Support Groups and the European Union (EU).

    “Ogoni oil is now open for exploration and production for Belemaoil Producing Limited. Shell, the Federal Government and all groups should kindly give all necessary support to making this historic event successful.”

    Gininwa, who is also the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, lauded the people of the oil-producing communities in Ogoniland for their unity and initiative, while expressing optimism that allowing the indigenous oil firm in the area would lead to total development of Ogoniland.

    Speaking with reporters, the Chairman of the Bodo-Ogoni Council of Chiefs of Gokana LGA, Mene Sylvester Kogbara, stated that the oil firm has agreed to meet the demands of the Ogoni people.

    Kogbara said: “Shell was here for over 50 years ago and we (Ogoni) have not seen any tangible thing. You know the problems we have had with Shell over the years, till we lost our leaders in the process of demanding our rights.

    “Shell has not responded and so we expect that the new company coming in will respect the rights, privileges and the tradition and culture of the Ogoni People.”

  • Buhari visits Ogoniland, promises to implement UNEP Report

    Buhari visits Ogoniland, promises to implement UNEP Report

    The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), on Thursday promised to implement the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on the polluted Ogoni environment if elected President in the forthcoming general election.

    Buhari, who made the promise while speaking during a meeting with stakeholders of Ogoni ethnic nationality at Saakpenwa, headquarters of Tai local government area of Rivers State, also vowed to complete the abandoned Bodo-Bonny road project.

    He said the decision of the Federal Government to abandon the Bodo-Bonny road project is a clear case of incompetence and social injustice, adding that a lot is taken from Ogoniland and little is brought back in return.

    The APC presidential candidate called on the people of the area to ensure they get their permanent voters’ cards so as to vote en-masse for the APC at all levels of the general election.

    “Your environment has been sentenced to death, much is being taken from Ogoniland but just little is being brought back in return. If I am elected as the president of this country, I will complete the abandoned Bodo-Bonny road project and implement the UNEP report,” the former head of state said.

    Responding on behalf of the people of Ogoni, a Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, said several injustices have been committed against the ethnic nationality in the last 50 years.

    Abe said, “Several injustices have been committed against the Ogoni people in the last 50 years. Oil companies that operated in Ogoni have not fared better in their corporate relations with host communities.

    “What is more, the Bodo-Bonny road, the only seeming on-going Federal Government project in Ogoniland is uncompleted years after the Federal Government under President Olusegun Obasanjo awarded the contracts.

    “Our position as a people concerning resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni is that there should be adequate consultation, and participation of the Ogonis in the process leading to their eventual operation.”

    In his remarks, Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, stated that despite being the second most populous ethnic nationality in the state, the people of Ogoni have suffered a lot in terms of environmental degradation and other challenges.

     

  • 2,500 cases of diabetes, others found in Ogoni

    2,500 cases of diabetes, others found in Ogoni

    A foundation’s free medical mission in Ogoniland reveals no fewer   than 2,500 cases of dibatetes, high blood pressure and others, reports PRECIOUS DIKEWOHA 

     

    As the world marked the Diabetes Week, a Non-Governmental Organisation, Senator Lee Maeba Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and Diabetes Association of Nigeria last weekend provided free diabetes and Blood Pressure (BP) screening and treatment to about 2,500 beneficiaries in Ogoniland, Rivers State.

    Apart from observing the Diabetes Week, it was learnt that the foundation, floated by Seantor Lee Maeba, had been providing for indignant members of the society. It also distributed free drugs to rural communities in the state, including free eye testing and treatment in Garrison, Borokiri, and Bori all in Rivers State.

    Some of the beneficiaries at the Bori intervention, which was attended by Niger Delta Report, expressed their happiness. They said the long-challenging health issues in the area have received due attention through the foundation’s intervention.

    Mr. Celestine Viula, one of the beneficiaries, said: “A marmot crowd came for the exercise and have taken drugs. The Honourable Senator in his benevolence brought health care service to our door step today. The project is so good and very beneficial to the people. The project is good and should be encouraged. I want to say a big thank you to the Honourable Senator for this good work. This has shown that if we vote for him in the forthcoming election and he wins he will have us at heart.”

    Another beneficiary, Mr. Samuel kporbari, said: “I have not been going for treatment since I was diagnosed of diabetes because there is no money. But the doctors that came here today have given me some drugs and advised me on the kind of foods that I should be eating and some that I should reduce. I prayed that God should bless the organiser of the programme and give him more grace to continuously bear the burdens of the less-privileged in the society.”

    Mrs. Love Nugha said: “I got a hand bill when I came to the market, that medical team will be coming to Bori. When I came here the doctor that I meet asked me to go and run test after that they gave me drug. I will go home and try the drugs. I am happy with them because everything was free and less stressful. I pray that this drug should cure me because I am down.”

    Barina Kogbara, who got free drugs, was joyfully and said: “I heard the advert over the radio yesterday, I thought it will be in Port Harcourt. But when I got to Bori this morning somebody told me to come here that the programme is on. When I came down the medical team was already on ground, they tested me and the test showed that the sugar level has reduced, so I was asked to go with some free drugs that could take care of my health. I know that these drugs can be found in the market but the poor people do not have money to buy them. This gesture by the Senator has reduced cost on the helpless people of the area. I am happy that a thing like this is happening at this time. ”

    Comrade Siabe Dum Eluanwi, State Coordinator of D’ Network, an NGO working with the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, (MOSOP), said: “What is happening here today is to the amazement of everyone who has visited. The people have come out in their numbers to benefit from the benevolence of our son, Senator Lee Maeba.”

    Eluanwi said over 2500 people benefited from the project, adding: “We are very much happy. I have never seen this kind of gesture in Ogoni before.  I am happy that my people are today getting solutions to the problem that has been with them for years. If this kind of programme continues our people will begin to live to ripe age. I commend the Senator and encourage him to continue to do this for his people of Rivers State.”

    Speaking at the event, Dr. Barinua Kekii Gbaranor, who led the medical team to Ogoni expressed his pleasure with the success and outcome of the programme. He said the programme had truly impacted positively on the lives of the people. He also advised the people of Ogoni to be health-conscious and to visit medical homes instead of resorting to self-help.

    “I am very happy that the Honourable Leader, Senator Lee Maeba has ensured that health care delivery gets to the grassroots, and I am glad to be part of this great project. From the turn up here today, it is clear that the people at the rural level lack the resources that will help them have a healthy living,” he said.

  • ‘I will not rest until Ogoniland is restored’

    ‘I will not rest until Ogoniland is restored’

    The Federal Government has tabled for discussion the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland. The report recommended that an initial capital of $1 billion be contributed by the government, oil firms including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and relevant stakeholders that have interests in Ogoniland, to fund the remediation project. JOHN OFIKHENUA reports. 

    In a voice laden with passion, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke Tuesday assured the people of Ogoniland that this is just the time for healing their age-long environmental pains. She told them that she is one of them, therefore, pledged she will not rest until the recommendations of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) are implemented.

    Battling to explain to the indigenes that she is one of them, who still shares in their challenges, she said that she hails from the old Rivers State.

    She spoke during the stakeholders’ workshop on environmental restoration of Ogoniland organised by the ministry in Abuja.

    She said: “I am a daughter of the old Rivers State. I was born in Port Harcourt in 1960 before Rivers State was split into Rivers and Bayelsa. Therefore, I will not rest as an individual until this effort is decidedly delineated and implemented to the benefit of the people of Ogoniland and by implication to the benefit of the entire nation. So, ladies and gentlemen, I do believe that the time for decisive action is now.”

    The minister recalled that the Federal Government in 2006 commissioned the UNEP to carry out an environmental assessment of Ogoniland, noting that on August 4th 2011, the agency submitted its report to the government. The report with scientific and empirical evidence of impact of hydrocarbon contamination in the land was for the first time placed in the public arena.

    The President, she said, had after a thorough consideration of that report, approved the establishment of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) on July 20, 2012. Being a unit under the ministry, the project is saddled with the responsibility of among other things, restoring all communities impacted by hydrocarbon contamination in Nigeria.

    Madueke however, admitted that the Federal Government recognises their plight and is very mindful that HYPREP is yet to achieve its full objectives as envisioned by this administration. She stressed that upon consultations with the people of Ogoniland, it has become clear that the community and relevant stakeholders have not been properly consulted and incorporated into the implementation processes of the UNEP report.

    The minister said that government has been deliberately cautious by slowly but very carefully reviewing the HYPREP structure to determine the best way to rejuvenate the programme to fully restore Ogoniland, as envisioned in the report.

    She said while HYPREP has implemented some of the transition phase objectives and emergency measures as recommended in the UNEP report; there are still other actionable recommendations spread across government, public health, environmental, operational and community issues that are yet to be addressed.

    Looking forward to seeing a realistic development of an actionable roadmap for the restitution of the Ogoni people from the workshop, she expressed hope that the roadmap should also be the one “that will restore Ogoniland to healthy living conditions and sustainable economic changes in the community.”

    She unfolded the solutions that the Federal Government has mulled to tackle their challenges.

    According to her, the Federal Government is working to set up a Centre of Excellence in Environmental Restoration (CEER) in Ogoniland to train and provide competences, vocational and specialist technical skills, capacity building, expert assistance and support services required by stakeholders, government agencies, among others, to carry out their mandates in protection, preservation and restoration of impacted environments.

    She was optimistic that the youth in Ogoniland will take advantage of this opportunity to enhance their knowledge of the process and strengthen their capacity to be considered as potential implementers of the restoration programme.

    Madueke also said the government intends to employ a robust approach to tackle some tough and yet to be resolved issues, address old issues in new innovative ways, create alternative means of livelihood for impacted communities via socio-economic projects and engage all stakeholders in varying capacities to bring sustainable positive change in the communities by creating employment, reducing poverty, restoring natural environment and increasing community economic control.

    “The time for decisive action is now.  I call on all relevant stakeholders to pool our collective knowledge and resources to construct a road map for a comprehensive remediation and restoration plan that can be effectively implemented to restitute the Ogoni people,” she said, adding that the actual locations of the vocational training institutes were to be deliberated upon at the workshop as some people have suggested that government should fully refurbish and upgrade Bori Polytechnic.

    On the funding structure and timeline for the implementation of the report, she said: “UNEP report recommended an initial capital of $1 billion contributed by the oil industry operators with prevailing interests in Ogoniland and the government to fund the remediation project.  NNPC and the oil companies have agreed on a sharing ratio, which I have approved as follows: a) Joint Venture Partners (80 per cent), b) The Refineries (five per cent), and c) Federal Government (through the 15 per cent Ecological intervention Fund). “

    On the timeline, the minister said that environmental restoration is not an event. She insisted that it is a process that involves clean up, building of facilities and planting.  Besides, she noted that it involves engaging the communities and other stakeholders and getting disparate views into a sustainable alignment before we even get the freedom to implement the remediation.

    In view of the situation, the minister said she recently wrote Mr. Erik Solheim, the UNEP appointed special envoy for Ogoniland on the need for a multi-stakeholder workshop on environmental assessment of UNEP report on Ogoniland.

    The President, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, promised the Federal Government that in as much as it has made provision for an interface for consultation on the implementation of the report, the people of Ogoniland are prepared for dialogue. He said that the people are ready to collaborate with government to sustain any genuine effort towards the implementation of the report, noting that there is no alternative to consultation in charting a course for the protection of the Ogoni environment.

    However, he recalled that he had at the meeting held on August 8, admonished the government to rise above politics in order to accomplish the implementation of the report, especially by walking the talk.

    Pyagbara said that although the Ogoni people are prepared for dialogue, they are not ready for part implementation of the UNEP report.

    He said: “We believe strongly that coming together we can chart a new course for the protection of Ogoni environment that is why we are here. And I can assure you on behalf of MOSOP and the Ogoni people that we are ever ready to collaborate and partner to sustain every genuine effort to drive the process of the implementation of the UNEP report.

    “For the Ogoni people, we are not prepared for any half measure in the implementation of this report. For the Ogoni people we feel that all that is needed should be put in place for the full implementation of that report. I think this is where the Ogoni people stand.”

    The Chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, Gbenemene Giniwa, advised the people to “behave themselves since President Goodluck Jonathan and Alison-Madueke have given them listening ears.

    The monarch said: “I want to appeal to them that since the Federal Government, the President and the Petroleum Minister have finally yielded to our call, please I want to tell the Ogoni people to behave.”

    He told the stakeholders that Ogoni people no longer want sentiments, stressing that “our idea of coming here is that the Ogoni people are ready for you to come and save us.”

    He said he was hopeful that since the UNEP officials, who crafted the report were present at the workshop, they could also supervise the implementation thoroughly.

    He cautioned the stakeholders that he “would not like to be decorated with information that they are coming to clean Ogoniland and afterwards, Ogoniland is not cleaned.”

    He told the minister that there is no road to Ogoniland for the entourage underway to access the community because all the roads are deplorable condition. The monarch requested that since “Ogoni is a death trap, when they are coming, let them repair the road.”

    The Minister of Environment, Laurntia Laraba Mallam, assured the stakeholders that the ministry will provide the relevant technical supports required for the cleanup of Ogoni land.

     

  • FG begins implementation of UNEP report

    The Federal Government has started implementing the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland by addressing some emergency measures to provide alternative facilities for the affected communities.

    The Director-General of National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Mr. Peter Idabor, disclosed this in a chat with the News Agency Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Idabor said that government had initiated a Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HPRP) to provide alternative facilities for the Ogoni communities.

    He said, “What we are dealing with now are emergency measures that UNEP has requested to start with – providing alternative sources of drinking water, putting signs to ward off people from having their bath in dangerous areas.

    “Trying to set up a hospital registry to determine if there is any correlation between the number of deaths and oil activities in Ogoniland.

    “I think those things are being done, but the Federal Government has set up a body called HPRP of which the Federal Ministry of Environment is part of the Governing Body, including NOSDRA.

    “Our job is to regulate and to effectively make sure that Ogoni is cleaned up,’’ he said.

    Idabor said that NOSDRA, as a member of the committee (HPRP), was charged with the mandate to regulate the process of remediation and restoration of the land.

    The director-general said that the HPRP had started the first step in implementing the report by carrying out emergency measures to make the communities safe for people to live in.

    NAN recalls that the UNEP report on Ogoniland was released on August 4, 2011 confirming, claims by local communities and civil society groups that there exists an ecological disaster in the area.