Ogoni Cleanup: IYC commends FG for flag-off

• Ex-Chair Berates Army For Invading Niger Delta

The umbrella body of Ijaw youths worldwide, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), has commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government for the successful flag-off of the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report on the cleanup of Ogoni land.

This is just as the former president of the council, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, who is also the secretary of Delta State consultative committee warned that the military approach being adopted by government would not solve the current bombing of oil pipelines by the Niger Delta Avengers.

But in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Eric Omare, IYC said the formal flag-off of the Ogoni land cleanup was a practical demonstration of the government’s political will to implement the UNEP report by the highest political authority.

While reiterating its earlier call for the extension of the cleanup to all oil polluted areas in other parts of the Niger Delta region, IYC noted that the Ogoni cleanup should be used as a starting point to cleanup the entire region, stressing that urgent cleanup of the polluted environment would enhance sustenance of the Niger Delta people.

They added that irrespective of the fact that funds have not been released for the purpose, the effort is nevertheless commendable, even as they advised the government to immediately take concrete actions by awarding the relevant contracts and release funds for the actual cleanup to start without delay.

Dr. Ekiyor, whose committee is to consult with stakeholders on how to end the bombing of oil pipelines by the Niger Delta Avengers, appealed to government to cooperate with the committee to use diplomacy in fishing out the suspects.

Speaking in an interaction with The Guardian in Benin City, the former IYC boss also warned that the current manhunt for the former militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, (aka Tompolo), over allegations of being the mastermind of current violence in the creeks may be misplaced.

He urged the Federal Government to look at other options in order not to exacerbate the current crisis in the region, adding, “the military grandstanding in the Niger Delta is worrisome and I think it is more of trade than patriotism. If the military advises their high command properly, they should know that Niger Delta people are homely and welcoming people.