Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Federal Government has received commendations for ongoing Ogoni clean up exercise.
The commendations came when National Executives Council of the Ogoni Youth Federation Worldwide came to present an award for outstanding performance to the Minister of Environment, Barr. Mohammed Abdullahi in his office in Abuja.
President General of Ogoni Youths Federation, Worldwide, Mr Legborsi Yamaabana, noted the importance of the project to the people.
He commended the Minister of Environment for the Ogoni cleanup project.
Yamaabana said; “Several uncommon milestones are being achieved, from the Ogoni power project to the recently-approved Specialist Hospital and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration. You have proven to all, that indeed you are the square peg for this square responsibility.
“It is in recognition and appreciation of your steadfast, focused and passionate disposition towards the success of this project that informed our visit today.”
He also commended, President Muhammadu Buhari for keeping his promise to the Ogoni people as well as his approval of funds for the project.
Receiving the award, the Minister said President Muhammadu Buhari will do his best to sustain the government and leave good legacies that will also be sustained by the incoming government on Ogoni clean-up.
He said the government is also at the final stage of the shoreline remediation, to restore the areas where the mongooses have been destroyed.
The Minister said; “Now a corollary to that is the support of the youth of Ogoni land that we have been able to enjoy, your group particularly have shown so much solidarity to us, understanding where we are coming from and the urgency, which we need to deliver on the mandate of the President, you have been very cooperative and very supportive. that has also been part of the underlying reasons we have succeeded in Ogoniland. if you have been restive if you had been very provocative, if you have not given us the understanding and the environment to operate, it would have been very difficult to operate. So, that is why we take this award as very important to us, we will not take it for granted, we appreciate that.”
Abdullahi also noted that the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, the mandate would end this year while the government is also working with United Nations for Offices for Project Services, UNOPS, to take over the entire process by January next year.
He said; “I want to say that the UNEP mandate is coming to an end this year, at the end of the year UNEP will withdraw its services in Ogoniland. However, the UN has arranged with its Office for Project Services, also known as UNOPS, also a project Protection Unit of the United Nations, so we are working with them now to transit between UNEP to UNOPS. Hopefully by January next year, UNOPS will take over the entire process, so we must know this transition is ongoing for the benefit of our people of Ogoniland.”
He reiterated the government’s commitment to continue to engage the aggrieved youths in the region to ensure a smooth completion of the project to deliver the mandate of the government and UNEP.
The Minister said that President Buhari would this month, flag off and perform the groundbreaking ceremony of some projects in Ogoniland.
