The Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority (OCIA) has said it is against the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report without acceptable verification and due process.
The group is maintaining that the report was un-negotiated, adding that Harmonia Exploration and Production Limited, in partnership with others are believed to have raised $300 million dollars to carry out the clean-up exercise.
Mr. John Lar-wisa, administrator of Ogoni Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), and Dr. Goodluck Diigbo, president of Ogoni Nation, issued separate statements on the said issue in Bori, headquarters of Ogoni Kingdom.
The OGEPA administrator stated that, “We are aware of the rumour making the rounds that UNEP Report is about to be implemented but there is a new dawn, Ogoni environment will be cleaned, but in an acceptable manner…
“The report by one Mike Cowing was cooked and served on Ogoni by the Rivers State government in collaboration with few individuals,” pointing out that though the literature was okay but the said soil tests and samples needed verification before implementation.
The OGEPA boss, who is also the elected Ogoni Nation Assembly leader, said the the Ogoni must subject the UNEP report to due process, neutral and impartial, integrity tests and reconcile it with the World Bank Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) policy, UNEP procedures and Nigerian government regulations respectively, otherwise, “We are in for sweeping Ogoni environment, not window dressing”, he said.
Diigbo disclosed that it came to his attention that, “One Harmonia Exploration and production company in partnership with others raised $300 million to kick-start the clean-up of crude oil polluted sites in Ogoniland.
He stated further that, “we do not see the legitimacy of such initiative, so they are warned not to step into Ogoni land and if they attempt, it will be at their own peril”, he warned.
Diigbo also reminded the public that with the inauguration of the Ogoni authority under the aegis of OCIA, the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has become history, pointing out that the body’s affiliates would continue to exist but they are to convert into civil society organisations and would be financially supported by OCIA, explaining that, “OCIA is the body genuinely elected representatives of the people responsible for the enforcement of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
He stressed that the Ogoni self-government represents the defeat of internal colonialism by the people of Ogoni in Nigeria.
However, he maintained that the new Ogoni self-authority would maintain cooperative relations with Nigeria, but based on principles of justice and good faith, stressing that, “we have to ensure justice, we now have to re-take full control of lands and natural resources seized from us through colonisation”.
It would be recalled that Daily Independent witnessed the formal inauguration of the Ogoni self-government in Bori which ushered in Dr. Diigbo as its president and eight other elected provincial governors (males) and their deputies (females).
