…Demand construction of gas turbines to generate power for Ogoniland
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Key stakeholders in Ogoniland have demanded the review of the Ogoni Power Project, saying that the project should be made an off-grid power generation and distribution project since Ogoniland was highly endowed with natural gas.
The stakeholders also urged the federal government to turn the ongoing construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Remediation into an Ogoni University of Environment, as well as the reduction in government bureaucracy to enable the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, to fast-track the UNEP Report implementation in Ogoniland.
These were some of the concerns raised by the people of Ogoni during a project review meeting with Ogoni key stakeholders, organised by HYPREP in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, the Paramount Ruler of Ancient Barako Community, H.R.H Kadilo Kabari, said Ogoni remains highly endowed with natural gas, hence the gas in Ogoniland should be harnessed for electricity generation, for the overall benefit of the Ogoni people.
Kabari also kicked against the incessant changing of HYPREP Project Coordinator by the federal government, as the stakeholders passed a vote of confidence on Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, urging the government to allow him to drive the project.
“Ogoni leaders are asking for a review of the Ogoni power project. Funds for the power project should be channeled to setting up gas turbines for power generation, transmission, and distribution within Ogoniland, just like Aba Power. Ogoni is rich in gas deposits. Ogoni gas should be harnessed to generate electricity for Ogoniland, and not the planned transmission and distribution project.”
Also speaking, a former President of MOSOP, Mr. Legborsi Pyagbara, urged HYPREP to make public the Environmental Impact Assessment of all its projects, for public scrutiny; as well as conduct a health study on the impact of crude oil on Ogoni people.
“There is an urgent need for a health study to ascertain the impact of crude oil on Ogoni people as obtainable in other parts of the world. This health study was supposed to precede the clean-up project. The EIA for the power project and other projects by HYPREP should be made public, so we can interrogate it for sustainability.”
Similarly, a former Commissioner of Environment in Rivers State, Prof Roselyn Koinya, demanded education, scholarships, contract awards, and empowerment of Ogoni women, noting that it takes women to build any society.
Earlier, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, assured that the Federal Government remains committed to accelerating the implementation of the recommendations of the UNEP Assessment Report on Ogoniland, as it was one of the key deliverables of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Zabbey said the Project Review Meeting was imperative to update the Ogoni people on work progress, discuss the successes and critically evaluate the areas which need to be improved, as it was a platform for dialogue where stakeholders’ voices are heard and their suggestions incorporated into future work plan.
He said: “Over the past months, HYPREP has made notable strides in various facets of the project implementation process. The land and shoreline remediation project is ongoing, and preliminary assessment of the complex sites has commenced.
“The pilot mangrove restoration of over 500 ha of oil-degraded mangroves is going well. Last week, we launched three reports to provide technical guidance for sustainable mangrove restoration and conservation in Nigeria.
“Alongside this, the construction of the Ogoni Specialist Hospital and the Buan Cottage Hospital is underway, and we have strengthened four existing hospitals in Ogoniland with valuable equipment. These facilities are poised to provide state-of-the-art healthcare services. In addition to healthcare and environmental initiatives, we are making strides in infrastructure and vocational training.
“The construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration is 53percent completed. The Ogoni Power Project is progressing as planned. It would connect households and businesses in Ogoni to the national electricity grid, thereby boosting local economic growth and improving quality of life.”
The HYPREP boss also urged the people of Ogoni to create an enabling environment for HYPREP’s work to proceed smoothly, by promoting open communication, addressing grievances through dialogue, discouraging targeted misinformation, and ensuring community actions are guided by a collective vision of progress and sustainability.
He said: “We must acknowledge that, despite our sustained efforts, several community-related challenges continue to affect the smooth progression of our work. Undue interference in contract administration poses a significant threat to the integrity and efficiency of our operations. Additionally, unresolved inter- and intra-communal land disputes have proven to be a substantial obstacle. These conflicts delay our work.
“Furthermore, other challenges require our collective attention and action. Issues include deliberate restriction of access to project sites (we have had cases of stakeholders erecting barriers around contaminated sites, obtaining court injunctions, misinformation, and deploying diabolic objects to restrict access to sites over matters that could be resolved by simply approaching the office.
“The truth is that we must work hand in hand while promoting a culture of mutual respect, collaboration, and accountability. We must unite as Ogoni people and stand firm against any actions or influences that seek to derail the progress of HYPREP. Your vigilance and resolve are crucial in safeguarding the sanctity of the Ogoni Cleanup.
“Hence, we must engage the HYPREP Project Coordination Office proactively and collaboratively rather than resorting to confrontation as a first line of action. Actions such as avoidable court cases drain your resources, energy, time, and the collective resources that would be better utilized for the Project.”
