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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
A non-governmental organisation, Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI), has called on the Federal Government to ensure full implementation of UNEP report on Ogoniland.
The group also urged the Federal Government to make the environmental clean-up a legacy project of President Muhammadu Buhari.
President of the group, Douglas Fabeke, while speaking at an event in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoni people in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, disclosed he has partners who can fund the implementation of UNEP report.
Fabeke said what the group needs is only the approval of the Federal Government to invite partners.
He advised the Federal Government to ensure the clean-up of the polluted sites are cleaned to a reasonable extend before the expiration of President Buhari’s administration, which would be an added mark to his (Buhari) government.
The group’s president frowned at the non-availability of potable water across Ogoni communities and criticised Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
Douglas alleged that HYPREP has not implemented any recommendation in the UNEP report.
Fabeke said: “UNEP uncovered that families for years drank from wells contaminated with benzene – a known carcinogen-at levels over 900 times above World Health Organisation guidelines.
“For decades, our people have, irrespective of being major contributors in oil production in Nigeria since 1958, remained the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg. All we have to show for decades of oil exploration and exploitation activities here is a devastated environment.
“Our traditional occupation of fishing and farming are fast going extinct. But, we are here today to change this horrible history about our people.
