Minister says govt. is committed to cleaning up Ogoni land

chika ebuzor

May 30, 2016 11:39 AM

Mohammed said the Federal Government will commence the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report soon.

Amina Mohammed - Minister of Environment

The minister of Environment,

Mohammed said the Federal Government will commence the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report soon.

The minister said this while on an inspection tour of Numuu-Tekuru Waterfront in Bodo City, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, venue of the flag off ceremony of the implementation of the UNEP report by President Buhari.

Mohammed said “I think it is such a coincidence, I don’t imagine the President when he was making his promised remembered that this is going to happen at this appointed time, because this fish pond was working and he is the one that commissioned it; it was about livelihood in the midst of wealth of the wealth we take from this land and you see that it is gone.

“It is a tragedy but we are coming back again with that hope that we can return the ecosystem to what they were, livelihood to what they were and provide alternatives to the crimes that are going on now. I think it is a kind of blessing that comes along. He made a promise and is trying to deliver.”

The acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, was also on the minister’s entourage.

The minister also said “The first commitment being made is the concerted effort being made by the government to actually implement the UNEP report. There has been a lot of work being done by experts but more importantly, it involves the communities. That is one report that everyone owes and there are actions there are ought to be investigated and ought to be implementation.

“So, that is the first commitment and that is what we are here to do on Thursday. Going beyond that, it is really to look at the overall picture of how you situate the clean up of Ogoni land, the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.

“So, when we talk about Nigeria and diversification of the economy, then, what will be the role of Niger Delta and Ogoni land. I think you can see here was actually what used to be fish pond, how did we get it back to not just a small livelihood but a scale that you talk about other industries in agriculture and value chain if you like and see how you empower people.”

Dr Dakuku Peterside, also described President Muhammadu Buhari's approval for the implementation of United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoni land as courageous.

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chika ebuzor