'Goodluck Jonathan failed us" - Traditional ruler

The President, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, Godwin Gininwa has expressed displeasure over the inability of former President Goodluck Jonathan to clean up Ogoniland.

Gininwa stated this at the flag-off of the clean-up of oil spill in Ogoniland and other areas in the Niger Delta region on Thursday, June 2.

He said: “I have nothing against Jonathan, he is my son, he is a very quiet boy. I love him very much. But in this case, he made a mistake. He couldn’t do what he promised Ogoni people.

“I want to advise Nigerian leaders, when they make promises, they should be able to keep it.”

Similarly, the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, seized the opportunity to tell how former president Jonathan refused to clean up Ogoniland.

“We did everything possible as a sitting government to get our brother and our leader, the former president, to implement the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) report. We did everything necessary, including going to church to pray, still, the UNEP report was not implemented,” Amaechi said.

READ: Fayose: Gov. calls President Buhari a coward over absence at Ogoni

President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented at the event by his Vice, Prof Yemi Osinbajo noted that the federal government had given approval for the constitution of the necessary framework that will drive a hitch-free implementation of UNEP report.

Such framework, according to the Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, would include setting up a governing council and a board of trustees that will handle the funds to be invested in the clean-up.

It is estimated that it would take between 25 to 30 years for the environment of Ogoniland and other parts of the Niger Delta to be fully restored.