Buhari committed to UNEP report on Ogoni land – Minister

The Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, has assured Ogoni people of President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to the full implementation of the United Nations Environmental Assessment Report’s recommendations on Ogoni land.

Abubakar, who was on a working visit to the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and some remediation sites across Ogoni land, was received on arrival by the project coordinator of HYPREP, Dr Marvin Barinem Dekil.

Earlier, Dekil informed the minister that a total of 21 sites had been handed over to 21 contractors whom he said were at different levels of remediation works while a joint team of HYPREP and UN were in the field to carry out reconnaissance in preparation for the commencement of the remediation of the complex sites. 

Dekil added that the project has provided opportunities for training Ogoni youth through the livelihood programme and technical training for scientific officers in Nigeria and in Switzerland while arrangements for the training of 400 Ogoni women by United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) had been concluded.

He further informed the minister that HYPREP had carried out two medical outreaches where 20,000 patients were treated and 400 surgeries carried out, saying HYPREP was collaborating with Rivers state ministries of water resources and health for the provision of water and assessment of health facilities in the impacted communities.

The minister, while paying a courtesy visit to His Royal Majesty King G. N. K. Gininwa in his palace informed the monarch that the Ogoni clean-up is a pet project of President Buhari’s administration which is why the president constantly makes reference to the Ogoni clean-up project.

He said the exercise was a signature project, the first of its kind in Africa and the world with no existing template but rather HYPREP was developing one that would be used hereafter for the remediation of the rest of the Niger Delta. 

A statement by the assistant director/head of information in the ministry, Mr Umo Ekaette, the minister urged the people of Ogoni to be patient and ensure sustained peace during and after the project while expressing appreciation to the royal father, the council of chiefs, Ogoni youth, women leaders and others for their contributions to the success of the project.

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