Ogoni clean-up project: No sign of clean up - NGO

Segun Oladipupo |

A Non-Government Organisation (NGO), Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to review the clean-up project awarded in Ogoni land.

The NGO alleged that the said project is not executed anywhere in Ogoni land.

The group also wants the federal government to review and investigate the extent of work carried out so far saying that the project has yielded no impact since its commencement.

The Non-Governmental organisation appealed to the government to investigate the project which it claimed had failed to provide necessary facilities to cushion effect of the problems pending the clean-up.

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.

President Ogoni Liberation Initiative, Rev. Fabeke Douglas lamented that the clean-up project of the communities had no human face as the contractors have failed to provide adequate water supply for the people.

Douglas stressed the need for Buhari-led government to suspend and evaluate the project even as he described it as mere jamboree.

“The suspension will be a good one for the communities because nothing is going on. There was supposed to be a central office for the Ogoni land to engage the contractors, we 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 supposed to be a water project but as we speak there is no drinking water anywhere in our community.

According to him, the contractor supplies drinkable water 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 to tackle the crisis in the Niger Delta region and the Ogoni people in particular, pointing out that each page provides solutions to the problem of the Ogoni people.

He stated 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 intends 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 focused on driving a wider platform of peace project that will cut across the Niger Delta region, saying 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.