Mkpoikana Udoma
06 June 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark World Environment Day, a group known as the Social Development Integrated Centre, has described the Federal Government plans to commence actual clean up of Ogoniland in August 2018, as cleaning in a vacuum.
The group said the government through the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project, HYPREP, cannot undertake any credible and successful cleanup that meets international standard in August, when certain UNEP recommended preliminary steps have not been taken and necessary facilities not yet in place in Ogoniland.
Research/Progamme Officer of the group, Mr. Dumnamene Fyneface, said HYPREP is not yet prepared for Ogoni cleanup even by December 2018, because the recommendations of UNEP such as contaminated soil treatment centre, centre of excellence, reassessment of contamination level, and the provision of portable water as emergency measures, are not yet in place.
Fyneface explained that since the flag-off of the Ogoni Cleanup exercise on June 2, 2016, HYPREP has failed to publish the cleanup implementation framework/work plan, whereas the group has wrote and officially requested for the work plan but HYPREP refused to release the document.
“We dismiss the claims by HYPREP that it would be able to start Ogoni cleanup in August 2018 with a wave of the hand because the pivotal facilities are not yet in place, excepts HYPREP is on a mission to impress the political class ahead of the 2019 general elections by cleaning in a vacuum.
” Contaminated Soil Treatment Centre recommended by UNEP and its foundation laid by former Minister of Environment, Amina Muhammed, in February 2017 has been abandoned by HYPREP since Amina left office. This site located in Bori-Ogoniland is currently overgrown with weeds and we wonder how HYPREP intends to carry out the cleanup exercise without this vital facility in place.
“A Centre of Excellence, was recommended by UNEP and its foundation also laid by Amina Muhammed on February 27, 2017 with the planting of a tree but till date, the location in Bori is covered with weeds and we are wondering how clean up can happen without this fundamental facility in place.
“The emergency measures recommended by UNEP to precede the cleanup has not been implemented. This include provision of portable drinking water, Health Audit, etc.
“HYREP had said in the past that plans to re-assess contaminated sites in Ogoni to determine the current level of pollution after UNEP Report in 2011 was partly responsible for the delay of the Ogoni cleanup. Hence, made publications in newspapers in 2017 calling for expression of interest by competent companies to carry out the re-assessment of sites.
“It would however interest you to know that, till date, HYPREP has not awarded contract to any company to reassess polluted sites in Ogoniland that they claimed was partly responsible for the delay of the Ogoni cleanup but has gone ahead to advertise again in 2018; called for expression of interest, opened bid and preparing to award contracts for the commencement of its mirage cleanup in August 2018.”
The Social Development Integrated Centre, whch is also known as Social Action, called on HYPREP to lay a solid foundation for a sustainable commencement of the Ogoni cleanup by implementing the emergency measures, constructing the Contaminated Soil Treatment Centre, Centre of Excellence, etc.
The group said the realities on ground in Ogoniland has shown that Ogoni cleanup is not ‘progressing satisfactorily’ as stated by President Muhammadu Buhari, in his May 29, 2018 Democracy Day speech, adding that there is nothing on ground in Ogoniland to show that HYPREP is prepared to carry out any cleanup in August 2018.
“HYPREP’s constant reneging on promises and shifting of goal posts for the commencement of the Ogoni cleanup is causing more harm to the Ogoni people who live in the polluted environment, breathe polluted air, drink oil polluted water and dying in their numbers over the environmental poisons.
“Besides, Social Action takes the recent directive by President Muhamadu Buhari for funds to be released for the Ogoni cleanup with a pinch of salt because similar statement was made in August 2015 to fast track the cleanup and this is where we are today still advocating for the cleanup to happen.
“We would have however taken Mr. President statement more seriously if the President had made direct budgetary provisions for Ogoni cleanup in the 2018 Appropriation Bill. With the reverse as the case, we wonder where the funds that the President had directed to be released would come from,” the group said.
