OpeOluwani Akintayo
06 February 2019, Sweetcrude, Lagos — The Federal government has said it had commissioned services of 16 contractors for cleanup and environmental remediation in Ogoniland.
On Tuesday, Minister of Environment, Suleiman Zarma, who issued the statement, said the federal government is committed to restoring Ogoni oil to its past glory.
His statement came following reports and fears that the government had abandoned the community.
According to his, mobilisation fees had been paid to contractors to enable them to commence the remediation.
He said the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, a federal government’s coordinating office saddled with the responsibility of remediation commenced the implementation of the project through consultation and sensitisation of communities.
The minister said the idea was to involve communities to take ownership of the project, adding that all scientists driving the remediation project in HYPREP are indigenous people.