Ogoni clean-up timetable delivered as submission of bids for contracts ends today
The Federal Government, weekend said it has completed timetable for the clean-up of hydrocarbon impacted communities in four local government areas of Ogoniland in Rivers.
The Minister of State for Environment, Malam Ibrahim Jibril, who made the revelation while inspecting medical outreach in Terabor General Hospital, Gokana Local Government Area of the state, also disclosed that submission of documents for bidding of contracts for the clean-up would end today, April 30.
Business Hilights South-South Bureau Chief reports that the exercise was organised by the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP) for indigent Ogonis.
Explaining more to journalists, the minister averred that “The Federal Government is working sequentially to ensure that there is no mistake and that whatever is started would be irreversible, even when President Buhari is out of office.
“We have a complete timetable of our programme now. We have also done advertisement for people to see what we intend to do.
While stressing that the ministry would go through all the procurement processes and evaluation, and approval of the award of contracts before commencement of the exercise, Jibril said “I am sure that people who have interest, capability and capacity to do this clean-up job have submitted their documents.
“The tender of documents will close by Monday, April 30, and thereafter, we will start the evaluation of the expression of interest,’’ he said.
He assured communities that the Federal Government had also put in place a solid foundation that would ensure the success of the remediation of hydrocarbon impacted communities.
He added that his visit to the Ogoniland was to check status of projects on ground, and to assure the people of government commitment to the exercise.
he said “I felt it was necessary to come to a signature project like HYPREP and see the second phase of the health intervention that was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Dr Marvin Dekil, Coordinator of HYPREP is doing a good job in Ogoniland, and as such, it is our responsibility to back him up,” Jibril stressed.
Before now, the Rivers State government, Ogoni indigenes and even some rights groups have accused the federal government of not doing satisfactory job on the remediation project, saying with the speed of work, the cleanup will be endless.
But the federal government who flagged off the exercise since June 2, 2016 has continued to maintain that it is serious on the United Nations scheme in returning marine life to Ogoni water bodies and soils.
