Douglas Blessing
A Non Governmental Organisation, African Indigenous Foundation For Energy and sustainable Development (AIFES) has urged the federal government to allow its agency overseeing the Ogoni cleanup exercise, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) remain in the Ministry of Environment.
Reacting on the plan to move HYPREP to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the group insisted that the agency’s rightful place should be in the ministry of environment for successful achievement of mandate.
The group made the call at its one day event to mark 11th year anniversary of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report held In port Harcourt.
Speaking at the programme, the former President of Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Mr Legborsi Pyagbara, stressed that the recent battle between Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is a symptomatic indication of battle to take over the whole project.
He said even if there should a movement in such direction, the three major actors in the pollution and cleanup of Ogoni should be notified.
Pyagbara said “I have contacted Shell MD and he didn’t know about it. The three entities; the community, Shell and government are to sit down and say, this thing has been under Environment ministry and we don’t like how they are going about it and we need to move it to Niger Delta Affairs
“The question is if you refuse to create Ogoni Environmental Authority under the guise that they want it to be a national project. Why do you want to bring it to Niger Delta Affairs, to make it look a Niger Delta project. Bringing it to Niger Delta Affairs makes it look its no longer the national project it intended from the beginning.”
He disclosed that various research has found lack of transparency and accountability in the cleanup process and as well frequent change of minister has contributed in slowing down the process.
Pyagbara also disclosed that Ogoni people still drink polluted water with hydrocarbon, adding that there was a serious lack in capacity, alleging that most contractors contracted for the cleanup are inexperienced.
However, in the communique at the end of the meeting, the group resolved and demanded “the retention of the HYPREP project in the Federal Ministry of Environment but with the quasi-independence it requires to carry out its responsibilities as was negotiated.
It demanded “establishment of a people-driven Monitoring and Evaluation
Programme which must be composed of members of the civil society, community people, HYPREP and other experts
.
“Urgent implementation of the emergency measures including the comprehensive water project, construction of the Integrated Contaminated Soil Management Centre and the Centre for Excellence”, noting that the absence of the above is drowning confidence and support of the people for the exercise.
They further called on the government to embark on a review of all environmental laws particularly as it affects pollution and contamination of land, air and water.
