Buhari-led administration foot-dragging Ogoniland cleanup—wike
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari administration of foot-dragging the cleanup of Ogoniland.
In his remarks after the Senate Committee visit of the sites, he noted that failure by the Federal Government to commence the exercise, 17 months after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo flagged it off, indicated lack of seriousness.
Wike made it clear before the Senate team that “The Federal Government is not serious about the cleanup of Ogoniland. We are tired of telling our people that the project will start next year. Let it not be a political project.”
Responding, the chairman, Senate committee on environment, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, vowed that Senate would ensure the Ogoni cleanup is carried out without further delay.
She spoke after touring the two sites of the oil spill in B-Dere and Nsisiokem in Gokana and Eleme Local Government Areas of the state.
According to her, “We decided to visit Ogoniland because more agitations have been going on and are still ongoing on the clean up. We decided to go and see things by ourselves to get first hand information. And thank God, in the budget of 2018, there is more commitment by the President. We have gone to two sites and we have seen the extent of damage.”
Also speaking, MOSOP president, Pygbara Lygborsi, described the visit as positive, noting that apart from cleaning the environment, issues raised in the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report also needed to be looked into.
