By Tolúlopé Olátúnjí
The Federal Government has announced plans to assess the ongoing clean-up of oil-polluted sites in Ogoni land, Rivers State, to determine its impact on the lives and livelihoods of the local people.
The Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement to President Bola Tinubu (South-South), Gift Johnbull, disclosed this at a one-day Ogoni Clean-up Stakeholders Roundtable Meeting held in Bori, the headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, on Saturday.
She emphasized that the government is committed to addressing challenges and bottlenecks affecting the development of the oil-rich area. According to her the stakeholders meeting is part of Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda,’ aimed at bringing the government closer to the people.
Johnbull revealed that her decision to visit the Niger Delta region was to ensure that the implementation and impact of the Tinubu’s administration’s agenda is being felt in the communities. She underscored the importance of inclusion and collaboration to achieve lasting peace and development, noting that the clean-up should positively affect the lives and livelihoods of the Ogoni people.
“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.
She added:”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.”
The special assisitant added that further engagements would ensure that all Ogoni people are involved in the Tinubu-led agenda. Johnbull stressed that the Federal Government would tackle any challenges slowing down progress in the Niger Delta region, emphasizing Tinubu’s commitment to bringing the Presidency closer to the people of Ogoni and the entire South-South is wholesome.
“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,” she said.
In a related development , the project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, noted that the implementation of the Ogoni environment’s remediation was progressing smoothly. According to him, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency has certified 48 of the remediated sites as free of hydrocarbon pollution.
“Today the Ogoni clean-up is going on seriously. We are taking environmental remediation, livelihood support, provision of water, and strengthening the health systems seriously. As of today, we have planted 2,650 seedlings of mangroves,” Zabbey said. He also mentioned that 300 graduates and undergraduates have been trained in proposal writing to build the capacity of the youth.
In his remarks, HRM Suanu Baridam, the King (Gbenemene Bangha Kingdom), advised the presidency to grant more decision-making powers to the HYPREP Project Coordinator. He argued that the over-dependence on Abuja for approvals is affecting the project’s efficiency.
“It is not proper that the Project Coordinator will always come to Abuja for approval. The PC should be made to have the powers to make approvals,” Baridam stated.
