The
Federal Government of Nigeria has just flagged off the cleaning-up exercise of
the environmentally contaminated Ogoniland. The exrcise was flagged off
Thursday at Gono, Gokana Local Government of Rivers, by the Vice President of
Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. The Vice President represented President Buhari
who, though was expected to lead the process, pivoted at the wee hours of
Thursday citing breach of security.
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Speaking
at the event, Prof. Osinbajo, warned that the government shall no longer
tolerate illegal oil extraction, otherwise referred to as oil bunkering and
other incidental activities not permitted by law, while urging all oversight
agencies in the oil sector to diligently carry out their functions while
imbibing best practices.
In
his words, the Vice President stated thus; “The
current oil theft and illegal refining will not be tolerated. The regulators in
the oil sector must live up to expectation. They must ensure that oil companies
carry out their operations in line with universal best services”
He
further highlighted that the clean-up process shall be a continuous and
methodological process which, besides ensuring that the Ogoniland is environmentally
clean, will provide jobs to the teeming Niger Delta youth population. He noted
thus:
The
methodology for the clean-up will ensure job creation for young people. The
agro-allied industries required for processing of agricultural product will
also be put in place.
The
Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike commended the Federal Government's
effort, and added that the state government shall provide the required platform
for the success of the program.
It
should be noted that the Ogoniland Clean-Up has been the recommendation by the
United Nation Enviromental Program (UNEP) following the organization’s
assessment of the Ogoniland area. The assessment was done at the behest of the Federal Government in 2006, which requested for scientific investigation into the level pollution in Niger Delta. Upon a painstaking assessment, UNEP identified a couple of contaminated sites and made some recommendations.
In their recommendation, the body noted that “it
is clear … that oil contamination in Ogoniland is widespread and severely
impacting many components of the environment”. Among the cause listed by the
UNEP for the environmental contamination, with far reaching consequences on the
health and wellbeing of the Niger Deltans, includes oil spills from “illegal
extraction of oil”, corrosion of oilfield equipment as well as gas flaring. Therefore,
the body recommended that in order to find a lasting solution to the problem of
the environmental situation, there is need to address all root causes.
Among
the steps recommended by UNEP to be taken in remediating the environmental conundrum
include both technical and operational measures such as:
1. Prevention
of illegal activities such as illegal extraction of oil and refining;
2. Maintenance
of oilfield facilities;
3. Quick
response to oil spills
While
the above remain operational measures which would prevent further oil spills and
environmental contamination, UNEP recommended that clean-up of contaminated
soil and sediments. UNEP noted that majority of the spills are crude oil
spillage, though there are some instances of spills of refined oil. In this
direction, UNEP recommended the establishment of “an Integrated Contaminated Soil
Management Centre” to coordinate the clean-up.
It
is in this direction that the recent efforts of the Federal Government is
channelled, which it has umpteen times highlighted as one of its achievements
thus far in office.
In another development, it has been gathered that the President of Nigeria cancelled his trip to the volatile region as a result of "threat of assassination". In an audio recording obtained by our correspondents in Canada, it was heard that a member of the newly found Niger Delta Avengers warned \Wednesday that the President "should sign his death warrant" if he dared to come to the area.
While the cancellation may be not be unconnected to the threat, Buhari who is known for globe trotting has not really made visit to any state in the Southern part of Nigeria since his inauguration. He cancelled his scheduled visit to Lagos, reportedly due to an ear infections, while he has not shied away from gallivanting around the globe. He has reportedly made more than fifteen visits to other countries.
This may have prompted the intense twitter reaction from former presidential aspirant under the KOWA Party, Ms Remi Sonaiya.
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