OGONI CLEAN UP: Group Advocates Suspension Of Project

By Roland Ekama, Lagos

A Non Governmental Organization (NGO) under the auspices of Ogoni Liberation Initiative on Thursday , called on President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend and review the Ogoni clean up oil spill projects, saying the exercise has failed to yield the expected result since it commencement.

The group also appealed to the federal government to investigate the project which had failed to provide social amenities mostly as it affects construction of boreholes and pipe borne waters in the communities.

Recall that the federal government in June commenced remediation exercise in 16 sites impacted by oil pollution, across the four local government areas in Ogoniland.

But speaking at a press briefing on the preparation launch of a book title: “The issues of Ogoni people, the crisis and the solution, creating awareness for public participation ” in Lagos, President Ogoni Liberation Initiative, Rev. Fabeke Douglas lamented that the clean up project of the communities has no human face as the contractors have failed to provide adequate water supply for the people.

Douglas stressed the need for the Buhari led government to withdraw, suspend and evaluate the project describing it as mere jamboree .

He also described Late President Musa Yar’ Adua initiative as the best approach to the people of the kingdom but lamented “Noting is going on at the moment.

Douglas affirmed that people in communities cannot assess the contractors and no single information centres on ground for dissemination of information.

“The suspension will be a good one for the communities because nothing is going on. There was suppose to be a central office for the Ogoni land to engage the contractors, be don’t know the contractors and don’t know if they are professional experts, the kind of equipment they use and that is why we want President Buhari to suspend this exercise and assess what is going on.

” Before this clean up there is suppose to be a water project but as we speak there is no drinking water anywhere im our community.

According to him, the contractor supply drinkable waters to the people with tankers at their wish adding that a professional body of experts should be constituted to investigate the failed project.

He noted that the book has the right approach in tackling the crisis in the Niger Delta region and the Ogoni people in particular , pointing out that each pages of the provides solutions to the problem of the Ogoni people.

While harping on what the group intend to achieve with book, the President further reiterated that ” we intend to develop , support and seek the socio-economic welfare of Ogoni people through justice and developmental programmes leading to sustainable community transformation through collaboration and partnership in the following superstructure areas; which include, building of power generation plants in all the six kingdoms in Ogoni.

Continuing on what is expected by the organization , Douglas added that it intend to encourage investors to build industries and to establish a sustainable peaceful environment.

“Proposed establishment OG brand , evacuation of some suffering Ogoni people who were dumped and frustrated in Benin Republic since 1995 and to propose the establishment of oil and gas refining companies in Ogoni land.

He also said that the NGO has taken the pain to make sure relevant information that will ease the quick recovery of Ogoni land is presented in the book and also ready to carry both Ogoni and Nigerian stakeholders along through seeking for constructive advice and fruitful ideas.

The President added that the organization was focus on driving a wider platform of peace project that will cut across the Niger Delta region, adding that it will provide a fantastic platform that can open door to government to resolve all pending crisis that can lead to total transformation of the Ogoni people.