*Farm lands devastated by oil spill in Bodo, Ogoniland.
Mkpoikana Udoma
15 November 2017, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – The Ogoni socio-cultural group, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, has expressed total dissatisfaction over the delay in the commencement of the actual clean-up of Ogoniland, as recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, over one year after it was flagged-off by the Federal Government.
It has given the Federal Government until December this year, to commence the cleanup of oil-polluted areas in Ogoniland or face the wrath of the people.
Speaking during an interaction with newsmen in Port Harcourt, as part of activities marking the 21st annual Ogoni Martyrs Day commemoration, MOSOP Media Advisor, Mr. Bari-ara Kpalap, explained that there has not been any meaningful activities going on in Ogoniland concerning the cleanup.
Kpalap, who is also the Secretary of the Martyrs Day Planning Committee, noted that since the flag off of the cleanup and the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Integrated Contaminated soil management, there has not been any activities going in the area.
He expressed worry that if nothing is done fast to commence on the cleanup exercise, the life of the people in the area will be more endangered than reported, stressing that spilled oil has drastically affected the soil and underground source of drinking waters in Ogoniland.
“If by the end of December this year, we did not see any meaningful activities as regards to clean up in Ogoniland, or anything that convinces us that the government is ready to commence on the cleanup, we will go back to the trench and embark on a peaceful campaign against the federal government, until government match its words with action.
“Our expectations have not been met, since June 2, 2016, till date, we cannot point anything concrete that the Federal Government has done that is on the ground today in the history of the Cleanup of Ogoniland.
“The flag-off was done in June 2016 and they did another groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the integrated contaminated soil management, but as we speak, construction or cleanup of the area is in comatose.”
Kpalap stressed that the rate of pollution in Ogoni is not abating but instead is expanding and deepening.
He stated that the people of Ogoni are not satisfied with the federal government’s pace of the clean up, and urged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to expedite action and facilitate the cleanup exercise.
MOSOP also called on the federal government to respond to the demands of the Ogoni people as contained in the Ogoni Bill of Rights.
