The Federal Government will soon release
$10m to begin the process of cleaning up areas devastated by oil spills
in Ogoniland in Rivers State.
An estimated $1.04bn would be required to
effectively clean up the entire area of the oil spill in Ogoniland,
according to a recent assessment report by the United Nations
Environment Programme.
Beyond the expected funds, stakeholders
who attended a roundtable to assess the implementation of the UNEP
recommendations in Abuja on Tuesday suggested the review of the National
Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency Act 2006 to incorporate
responsibility for environmental contamination to a separate government
agency.
They also expressed fears that there
might be a fresh crisis, if the community was not carried along when the
funds are eventually released.
The UNEP report, which was released in
August 2011, chronicled the effect of oil spills in the region which has
also resulted in water contamination in Ogoniland and severely impacted
many other components of the environment.
The study also indicated that the
environmental restoration in Ogoniland was feasible but might take 25 to
30 years to be achieved.
The convener of the roundtable and
Executive Director, Social Action, Dr. Isaac Osuoka, said the problem of
oil spillage had persisted in the Niger Delta region because
appropriate legislation to back up the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration
Project was lacking.
He said, “In the last two months, there
has been a glimmer of light, indicating that at last, the much-awaited
remediation of the Ogoni environment may begin. The announcement by the
Federal Government that it is setting aside $10m to commence the process
is a welcome gesture.”
The paramount ruler of Mogho community in
Ogoniland, Chief Mene Kpea, criticised the delay by the government to
implement the UNEP recommendations, four years after it was released.
He said, “Ogoni community is very worried
over the delay in the implementation process. Moreover, the $10m which
government promised to release is too small by our estimation; it cannot
solve the whole problem our land is facing.”
Also
speaking, Head of Oil and Gas Division (Environmental Assessment
Department) at the Federal Ministry of Environment, Emmanuel
Okokon-Ndem, however cautioned stakeholders involved in the project to
give the new administrative benefit of the doubt in actualising the
clean-up.
“I want to assure you that the government
is doing everything to fulfil its promises. Let us drop the mutual
suspicion. Let us see how all of us can come together and move forward
to achieve our goals and restore the community for better,” he
suggested.
