Environment
–
The federal government has set up a committee to find ways to clean up Ogoniland as recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme
| By Anayo Ezugwu | Nov. 3, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT |
THE federal government on Friday, October 24, inaugurated a multi-stakeholders committee to ensure a lasting solution to the issue of environmental restoration of Ogoniland as proposed in the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP report. Diezani Alison-Madueke, minister of petroleum resources, said the establishment of the committee is a direct response to the yearnings of the Ogoni people and other stakeholders for inclusion in the effective engagement by government to ensure an enduring and robust environmental restoration of Ogoniland.
“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” she said.
According to Alison-Madueke, it is expected that the committee to 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, learnings from the Ogoni restoration work can and will be applied in other parts of Nigeria, facing similar environmental degradation problems.”
The 14-member committee which is expected to hit the ground running is saddled with the immediate responsibility of proposing a focused engagement and implementation plan with clearly defined steps. The group is also mandated to advise the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project, HYPREP, advisory council on the manner in which assets and funds of the project may be held and utilised.
Jamila Shu’ara, permanent secretary, ministry of petroleum resources is the chairman of the committee. Its members include, Godwin N.K. Gininwa, chairman, Rivers State council of chiefs and traditional rulers; Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, president, Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP; Ben Naane; Rosaline Konyan; Abraham Olungwe; Friday Kpelo and all representatives of the Ogoni community.
Others members include Daouda Toure, UN resident coordinator; Shuaibu Otori, representative of the ministry of petroleum resources; John Lahu, representative of the ministry of environment; Jube Jemide, representative of the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs; Jonathan Okehs, representing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC; Austin Igboko, representative of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC; George Oguachuba, representative of Total and Angelo Madera, representative of Nigeria Agip Oil Company.
|
Tags:
