The senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has expressed dismay over the Federal Government’s delay execute to the UNEP report on clean up of Ogoni land pollution, years after it has been submitted.
Senator Abe made the remark in a chat with journalists during a lecture organized by the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) in commemoration of the death of 13 Ogoni martyrs, including Ken Saro-Wiwa who were hanged by late General Sani Abacha’s administration 18 years ago.
The former Secretary to the State Government frowned at the mannera in which the hydro-carbon pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) set up by the federal government has not demonstrated any effort to tackle the environmental pollution problem in Ogoniland.
According to him, the only visible step taken by the Nigerian government on the United National Environmental Report was the HYPREP which has yielded no solution on the issue describing the performance as very poor.
The former Rivers State Commissioner for Information maintained that the Ogoni people have agreed to support the clean up exercise as mandated by the federal government, expressing regret that nothing have been done to give them hope, stressing that the Ogoni people has been peaceful on the issue.
Senator Abe who is Chairman Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream, noted that the UNEP report on the pollution of Ogoniland is a life document that no force can kill because it is the truth, adding that “The document was prepared by international experts and meets every international standard.
The lawmaker who reiterated the Ogoni people’s unrelentless effort in the struggle to demand for their rights expressed hope that they would get justice at the end of the day.
It would be recalled that the HYPREP was an agency set up by the federal government some months ago to act upon the pollution problem in ogoniland but has noted yield any result since inception. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor/Mene Gbarabe
