The Ogoni people have accepted Harmonia Exploration and Production Co. Ltd for the clean-up of Ogoni land in a solidarity speech at the Ogoni Day Celebration 2015: at Bori in Khana Local Government Area Hon. Paul Kehinde Fashau Udofe, Chairman Harmonia Exploration and Production Co.LTD, spoke though Arc. Melaye Moses disclosed that this New Year marks the beginning of a fundamental: change in the environmental emancipation of Ogoni land, which the struggle over the last 30 years had weighed on the conscience of the world.
A fundamental change that will lift the hope, health, happiness and wealth of the people of this unique kingdom has finally come”.
Hon. Udofe said we have come to partner with you. the Ogoni community leaders, men, women and youths to clean up the polluted lands, bring back fisheries and agriculture, drive out the scourge of poverty and rebuilding both health and education in Ogoni land”.
In the next 90 days with the generous support of the government, we shall together with our Chinese partners begin the pilot programme in Bodo community and clean- up the hydrocarbon impacted Bodo Cooperative fish pond.”
Harmonia Exploration and Production Company chairman assured that the pilot programme will not only succeed but will develop into the beginning of a long last sustainable partnership, saying that ‘we encourage our youths to join this noble clean-up effort, eradicate the problems of the past and convert this opportunity into income to alleviate poverty and develop their potentials”
Also speaking, Chief Clement Badom, one of the principal landlords and Kegbara Dere Community (Bomu oilfield) leaders said that the Ogoni community would give their social license to the Harmonia Exploration and Production Company Limited and their Chinese partners, while the Federal Government would grant them the legal rights, assuring safety and peaceful operation for the clean-up in Ogoni land.
The Ogoni people under the leadership of Chief Legborsi Pyagbara, MOSOP president, said Ken-Saro Wiwa and Barr Ledum Mitee had launched the Ogoni Green Environment Projects Campaign on the international community.
He stressed that the Ogoni people after giving their social license to SPDC, the multi-national oil giant continued to deceive and displaced them while they suffer in the midst of plenty as oil richest city, adding that shell brought abject poverty to the Ogoni people.
The MOSOP president added that Ogoni people marched against environmental degradation, economic strangulation and political slavery on 4th January, 1993 Pyagbara said “we have launched multi faceted campaign around the implementation of UNEP report that had involved protest marched, open letters, focused local and international advocacy campaigns and lobbying. All these had been done to bring pressure on the government for Ogoni clean up. ###
