05 August 2015, Sweetcrude, Abuja – President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday in Abuja approved several actions to fast-track the long-delayed implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report on the environmental restoration of Ogoniland.
The actions, based on recommendations to the President 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 President further approved that the HYPREP Governing Council should be composed as follows: Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Federal Ministry of Environment and impacted states (Rivers) -one representative each, oil companies and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (4 representatives), Ogoniland (2 representatives), United Nations System (one representative) and the secretariat, headed by Project Manager
President Buhari also approved the composition of a Board of Trustees for the HYPREP Trust Fund with one representatives each from the Federal Government, NNPC, international oil companies, Ogoniland, and the UnitedNations System.
Following a meeting held on the directive of the president, it was also agreed that a contribution deposit of 10 million United States dollars 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.
