The Federal Government has flagged off water project and sites handover in Ogoni.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Ibrahim Yusufu, disclosed this recently during the official flagging- off of water projects and sites handover ceremony to the contractors in Ogoniland, Rivers state.
He further said the community also appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while assuring the Ogoni people that these developmental projects would continue to impact positively on the socio economic development of the area.
The project commissioned by the Permanent Secretary include the Barako Portable Water Scheme which has storage capacity of 500 cubic metres of clean water, as it is expected to provide free, safe and quality water to all households in Ogoni and its environs.
According to him, commissioning of this type of projects was the second under the six-lot projects in the first phase of Emergency water intervention for Ogoni Communities.
” Permit me to state that while efforts are being intensified to cover more milestone in the HYPREP implementation framework, stressing that, it has become exigent to find lasting solutions to challenges of theft and vandalization of projects and incessant sponsored agitation which over the years encumbered the procurement process and effective delivery of emergency and livelihood support projects in the area ” he added.
Yusufu explained that a part from the remediation process, the Livelihood programme was aimed at providing portable and accessible water to the Ogoni community and ensuring the provision of other amenities to cushion the effect of the pollution as the Ministry has put more efforts in delivering the emergency intervention projects as part of the remediation process in Ogoniland.
He presented certificates to Fourteen Contractors for the construction of another 14 portable water systems to cover 52 communities and to fast-track the other aspect of the livelihood programme.
“The Ogoni people and the entire community, were excited, pointing out with the efforts of the Ministry of Environment, all their challenges have finally come to an end while expressing the appreciation of sons and daughters of the Ogoni community to the Ministry.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Dr. Nwielaghi Barieenee Michael, advised the people in the area to always channel their grievances through the right channel not HYPREP as a whole.
King Dr. Suanu T. Y. Baridam, Gbenemene of Bakana Kingdom, and spokesman to the Ogoni Specialist Hospital thanked HYPREP and the project manager for making this project possible for the Ogoni people in record time.
Speaking further, he expressed hope to see HYPREP deliver more projects that are community oriented and provision for job opportunities to our Youths in Ogoniland.
Also speaking, HRM. King Foetus Bagia, said they felt honoured to have the Federal Permanent Secretary in Ogoni land. “It’s a great pleasure to welcome all Members of the Board to the community of Barako”, adding that traditions demand, the community presented a drink to the Permanent Secretary, they also offered prayer and gift items as the oldest man, who was over 120 years old, decorated the Permanent Secretary with a wrapper which signified blessings on the Permanent Secretary for job well done.
According to him “This project is the highest and largest project in Ogoniland, for over 7 years, “so Ogoni people are saying thank you as over 52 box community have benefited from this project”. He added
Sites were also handed over to contractors whose contracts were earlier approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of the immediate past administration.
The communities of Ogoniland have promised that youth restiveness in the area is now over, while thanking the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari for fulfilling the promise his administration took to Ogoniland in 2016.
