04 May 2012, Sweetcrude, Lagos – An Environmental Right Group, Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) has called on the federal government and SPDC to immediately effect the Implementation of UNEP Report on the ogoniland.
Addressing a Press briefing in PH, The Executive Director of FENRAD, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, frowned on the Report in the media that SPDC has Started Clean up & remediation in the Ogoni land Without following the UNEP Report Recommendation that awarded the Sum of $1Billion ( Dollars) as Compensation to the Communities.
The Organization Condemned the Presidential Committee Set up to Co- ordinate action by all Parties to the process of remediation and Strees that the Presidential Committee is not necessary because it will frustrate the process of the realization of the said activity and will review the Recommendation to death because its composition is made of politicians who are after personal and selfish interest. The organization calls for Constituting of the Committee which Consists of the Various Communities in the Ogoniland that will harmonize issues towards implementing the recommendation in the UNEP Report.
FENRAD Stress that the UNEP Report will be a Catalyst for Co-operation to address the environmental Challenges & environmental degradation in the Ogoni land and Niger Delta at large if the multinational oil Companies will adhere to the Recommendation.
FENRAD Stress that this can be achieved with the Co-operation of both local, State, federal government with the Ogoni Communities, SPDC will have to Set up a Team (Which comprises members of the Ogoni Communities & Civil Society organization) to review & develop a Comprehensive Decommission Programme and Asset Integrity Plan, and discuss these Plans & It’s Implementation with relevant Ogoni Communities.
SPDC Will also carried out a Preliminary Review of It’s Procedures, Report Pre- Clean up assements and over all effectiveness of the remediation, Review samples of Remediate site more widely across the Delta to Check that adequate remediation has indeed been carried out. All this is to ensure the over haul procedure for oil spill clean up & remediation as well as Improve on Contracting & Supervision, as well as Conduct Comprehensive Review of SPDC assets in Ogoni and develop a decommission Programme & Integrity management Plan for the Assets.
The UN Environmental Programme has announced that SPDC and other oil firms systematically Contaminated a 1,000 sqkm(386 sqmile) area of Ogoniland in the Niger delta with disastrous consequence for Human health & wildlife
The Widespread Pollution of ogoniland as documented by the UNEP is a manifestation of the Putrial Situation the people have been living for decades now haven decimated the lively hood of the ogoni people.
On the Gas flaring FENRAD Stress that Apart from Its deleterious Impact on Communities Health and the eco System, Gas flaring is a gruesome and grievous Violation of Human Rights, Gas flaring expose Communities within 30 Kilometers radius of any flar Point to a dangerous Cocktail of toxin that Poisons them, their animal destroys their Sources of livelihood Gas flaring denies Communities their fundamental right to life & dignity as required under the Nigerian laws and other International Instrument. Under section 20 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria the State Shall Protect & improve the environment and Safe guard the water, air, land, forest and wild life of Nigeria.
The fundamental Right Provision of the Constitution of federal republic of Nigeria furthermore under section 33(1) & Section 34 (1) guarantees the rights of all Nigeria to life & dignity and to enjoy a healthy environment.
While Articles 4, 16 & 24 of the African Charter on Human & people Rights Which was domesticated into the Nigerian legal System by the virtue of the Ratification & enforcement Act laws of federation 2004 guarantees the right to life and dignity of all Nigerians to enjoy the best attainable State of physical and mental health as well as the right to general satisfactory environment favorable to their development respectively.
Section 3. (2) Of the Associated gas re-injection Acts and section 1 of the Act regulation of 1984 under which gas flaring may be permitted are inconsistent with the provisions of the Nigerian constitution and the African Charter on Human & Peoples Rights.
FENRAD restated its desire committement in legal and moral milestone in the struggle to end this obnoxious activity which has continued for decades in the Niger-Delta, due to the fear by the multi-national companies that their profit margin may be slightly reduced if the flares are put off, since they put meager amount as a fee for flaring gas. It also called for the urgent passage of the PETROLEUM INDUSTRY BILL that will address the fundamental environmental issues to ensure Host communities participation in the oil and gas exploration to create a successful NIGERIAN local content REGIME.