The Federal Government has initiated an assessment of the ongoing clean-up efforts in the oil-polluted regions of Ogoni land, Rivers State, to evaluate the impact on local lives and livelihoods.
Addressing the development challenges and bottlenecks in this oil-rich area has been prioritized by the government.
According to The PUNCH, Gift Johnbull, Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement to President Bola Tinubu for the South-South, revealed this during a one-day Ogoni Clean-up Stakeholders Roundtable Meeting in Bori, the headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, Rivers State, on Saturday.
Johnbull explained that the meeting, themed ‘Na my Area, Na my Country: Climate Resilience and Adaptation in South-South Nigeria,’ aligns with Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda,’ which aims to foster closer government-community relationships.
The presidential aide noted her commission to visit the oil and gas-rich region to ensure the agenda’s thorough implementation across all communities.
She emphasized the importance of inclusion and collaboration to foster lasting peace and development, highlighting the anticipated positive effects of the clean-up on Ogoni lives and livelihoods.
“This initiative is to ensure that the Renewed Hope agenda is actualized in every village, creek, community, and city in the South-South states,” Johnbull stated.
“We are here to discuss and evaluate significant empowerment initiatives, such as environmental remediation and all forms of livelihood improvement, which will have a lasting impact on the lives of the Ogoni people.”
Johnbull underscored the need to assess progress and the clean-up’s impact on the Ogoni people, affirming that the Federal Government would tackle any challenges hindering development.
She stressed President Tinubu’s commitment to bringing the Presidency closer to the Ogoni and the South-South.
She added, “We will address the challenges and bottlenecks that may have hindered or slowed down progress if there is any that will be discussed here today. The President has established robust governance frameworks and accountability mechanisms to ensure transparency, effective resource allocation, and meaningful community involvement in the clean-up process.”
Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, affirmed the smooth implementation of the Ogoni environment’s remediation, noting that the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency has certified 48 remediated sites as free of hydrocarbon pollution.
Zabbey highlighted, “Today the Ogoni clean-up is going on seriously. We are taking the environmental remediation, livelihood support, provision of water, and strengthening the health systems seriously. As of today, we have planted 2,650 seedlings of mangroves. One of the targets of the clean-up is to build the capacity of our youths. We will support youths to actualize their potential in life. We recently trained 300 graduates and undergraduates in proposal writing.”
HRM Suanu Baridam, a local monarch, urged the presidency to empower the HYPREP Project Coordinator with more decision-making authority, noting that constant dependency on Abuja for approvals hampers the project’s progress.
Baridam, the King, Gbenemene Bangha Kingdom,, remarked, “It is not proper that the Project Coordinator will always come to Abuja for approval. For all the requests he will always come to Abuja for approval. The PC should be made to have the powers to make approvals.”
