The federal government has again renewed its commitment to restore the hydrocarbon-abused Ogoniland to its original state as recommended by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) assessment report on the impact of oil and gas exploration on the environment.
Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, made fresh efforts on Friday to seek an enduring solution to the environmental restoration of Ogoniland when she inaugurated a multi-stakeholder committee comprising of community leaders, government officials and representatives of international agencies.
The 14-member committee which includes Dr. Jamila Shu’ara, who is the permanent secretary in the ministry of petroleum resources, as its chairman also has the President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, as well as the United Nations Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ambassador Daouda Toure.
 |
| Allison-Madueke |
Other members of the committee as disclosed in a statement from the Group General Manager, Public Affairs of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ohi Alegbe, include, the Gbenemene of Tai Kingdom, King Godwin N.K. Gininwa, Prof. Ben Naane, Prof. Rosaline Konyan, Dr. Abraham Olungwe and Friday Kpelo, all representatives of the Ogoni community.
Shuaibu Otori who represents the office of the minister of petroleum resources, John Lahu for ministry of environment, Jube Jemide for ministry of Niger Delta affairs, Jonathan Okehs for NNPC, Austin Igboko for Shell Petroleum Development Company, George Oguachuba for Total and Angelo Madera for Nigeria Agip Oil Company complete the committee members.
Alison-Madueke explained that committee was expected to begin work by immediately proposing a focused engagement and implementation plan to follow in the implementation of the report.
She also noted that the committee was further mandated to advise the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) on the manner in which assets and funds of the project may be held and utilised.
The minister stated that the firming up of the committee was a direct response to demands by Ogoni people and other stakeholders to be included in the process as a way to engender effective engagement with government.
Such engagement, she added was necessary to set up an enduring and robust environmental restoration of Ogoniland.
She said that: “It is based upon the further recommendations of the HYPREP advisory council that I have reached out to patriotic Nigerians from within and outside the Ogoni community to constitute this multi-stakeholder consultative committee.’’
The minister also said that it was expected that the committee will brainstorm and develop suggestions for a clear and actionable roadmap for the restitution of the Ogoni people and restoration of the environment for healthy living conditions.
“I am expecting that in due course, learning from the Ogoni restoration work can and will be applied in other parts of Nigeria, facing similar environmental degradation problems,’’ she said.
