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THE Federal Government has restated its committment to the cleaning up of hydrocarbon pollution on communities in Ogoniland in spite of challenges being faced in the exercise.
Dr Marvin Dekil, Project Coordinator, Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP) disclosed this on the sidelines of the 2020 Ogoni Day celebration in Bori, Rivers, yesterday.
HYPREP, under the Federal Ministry of Environment has the mandate to clean up decades-long oil spills in four Ogoni local government areas in Rivers – Eleme, Gokana, Khana and Tai.
Dekil said in spite of government’s commitment to the project, the remediation was hampered by land disputes, leadership tussles and communal clashes.
“The tussle over land and chieftaincy stool has been a major cause of delay in the implementation of the UN Environment Report (UNEP) at the many clean-up sites.
“This has to change for us to make progress by way of unfettered access to all contaminated sites.
“We equally appeal that HYPREP be spared land and chieftaincy disputes as we do not have an interest in any land and chieftaincy stool,” he pleaded.
According to him, the Federal Government is also worried with the re-pollution of the affected Ogoni communities, blamed on activities of oil thieves in the area.
“Our efforts to clean Ogoniland will amount to nothing if after investing so much resources and time it is again re-polluted by activities of illegal bunkers and refiners.
“We urge the leadership of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) and communities to dissuade youths from these very poisonous activities that affects our health, environment and economy,” he appealed.
