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UNEP to establish office in P/Harcourt for Ogoni clean-up, says UN rep

UNEP to establish office in P/Harcourt for Ogoni clean-up, says UN rep

 

UNEP
By Desmond Ejibas
Korokoro (Rivers), Feb. 1, 2019 (NAN) The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is planning to set up office in Port Harcourt to monitor progress of remediation of oil impacted Ogoni communities, an official said.

 

UNEP representative, Mr Mike Cowing, made this known on Friday when he led a delegation to the palace of HRM King Godwin Gininwa in Korokoro, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers.

 

Cowing said: “We will establish UNEP office in Port Harcourt in March, after the forthcoming general elections.

 

“This will enable us to supervise training and monitor the clean-up to enable the implementation of the report to the later.

 

He said the body would also mentor, partner and organise training for staff members of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), coordinating agency of the clean-up.

 

According to him, the HYPREP officials would be trained both in Nigeria and in Europe to acquire requisite knowledge on how to monitor the clean-up exercise.

 

“We will bring in a team of water and soil sediment scientists as well as public health specialists to complement and supplement the expertise already in HYPREP.

 

“It is going to be a joint initiative between the two entities to make sure the contaminated sites in Ogoniland are remedied to a desirable standard.

 

“We are also looking forward to partnering communities to ensure the clean-up is successful,” Cowing said.

 

Dr Marvin Dekil, Project Coordinator of HYPREP, said the Federal Government was passionate about cleaning up years of oil impacted Ogoni communities.

 

He said that UNEP’s involvement in the clean-up exercise would guarantee total compliance to recommendation in the report.

 

“They (UNEP) are going to carry out high level training, and I can assure that the Federal Government’s commitment to the Ogoni clean-up is unwavering.

 

“We are soliciting the support of the youth, women, and the entire community leadership to ensure the project is successful,” he said.

 

Responding, King Gininwa, Chairman, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, commended UNEP for its comprehensive assessment in the oil-polluted Ogoniland.

 

Gininwa, while thanking President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for committing resources to the clean-up exercise, said the effort had doused tension in the communities.

 

“I appeal to UNEP to ensure Ogoni people benefit from the clean-up while implementing the report.

 

“The United Nations has always stood by the people of Ogoni, right from the Ogoni struggle.

 

“Therefore, the benefits of the clean-up should not be a matter of APC and PDP, but for the benefit of everybody.

 

The monarch called on the Ogoni youth to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the exercise, noting that the youth would be the major beneficiaries of the clean-up.

 

“On our part, we assure of peace and harmony throughout the clean-up. Please, ensure that HYPREP carries out the (UNEP) report to the later,” he urged. (NAN)
DES/DCU
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Edited by Donald Ugwu

Environment

Ogoni Cleanup: Netherland Ambassador urges FG to expedite action

 

 

 

Cleanup

 

By Desmond Ejibas

Port Harcourt, Nov. 28, 2018 (NAN) The Netherland Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Robert Petri, has urged the Federal Government to immediately commence the cleanup exercise of Ogoniland before 2019 general elections.

Petri made the call on Wednesday during a fact-finding mission to the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) office in Port Harcourt.

He said immediate action on the cleanup would send a strong signal to the world that Nigerian government was serious with remediation of oil impacted Ogoni communities.

He said “Things are really happening in Ogoni cleanup, but they are brightly not visible. Government should ensure the independence of HYPREP.

“It is extremely an important project that we hope will commence proper before the elections starts. The whole world is watching.

The ambassador said the cleanup exercise was the largest oil remediation project carried out in a single country.

“This is a large project; that is even the largest clean-up in the whole world. Nigeria is making history with this project which will set example worldwide.

“Though HYPREP’s emphasis on community engagement is commendable, but the problem here is that things take a long time to start. HYPREP should keep engaging the people,” he urged.

Responding, Dr Marvin Dekil, Project Coordinator of HYPREP, said the agency was ready to commence the cleanup of oil impacted Ogoni communities.

He said the agency had recently concluded its screening exercise that ended in selection of 21 companies to handle the project.

He said “The 21 companies have been cleared and are ready to be mobilised to site to commence the clean up. The companies scaled through the entire procurement process.

“Also, HYPREP has completed community; technical preparations and compliance to all procurement acts. HYPREP has not imposed anything on the area of livelihood in the communities”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government had, on April 28 reiterated commitment to the cleanup project.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had said at a brief ceremony during which the Ogoni Trust Fund escrow agreement was signed at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that  the present administration would ensure the project was transparent.

“The signing of the escrow agreement is one that shows clearly that not only are we committed to ensuring that the cleanup is done, but also that we are committed to ensuring that it is done transparently,” Osinbajo said. (NAN)

 

DES/JTJ

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Edited by Julius Toba Jegede