Ogoni leaders bemoan stakeholders’ inability to support cleanup

45 ex-militants graduate from Belarusian varsities, three bag first class
The Ogoni leaders have expressed displeasure over the inability of some stakeholders to contribute their own quota of the $1 billion cleanup deal, a situation, which according to them, was also delaying the exercise.

They said that it was not enough to present an Ogoni son at the front as the project co-ordinator of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Dr. Marvin Dekil, but insisted that speedy implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report remains the only solution to their worries.

The leaders stated this at the weekend in Ogoni during a consultative meeting with Dekil.

They regretted the slow pace of the cleanup, which they said, is not going down well with the affected communities.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Barinua Wifa, Ogoni said the essence of the meeting was to listen to the overview of the cleanup from the project coordinator and know what role to play as Ogoni leaders.

He said it is legitimate for people to show concern about the issues affecting them and their environment but stated that it is wrong to play politics with issues that affect the people.

He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to be sincere and provide adequate fund for the project implementation in Ogoniland, stressing that Ogoni leaders are backing their kinsman, the project co-ordinator, Dekil.

The leaders, however, insisted that the project co-ordinator must always open up and feed them with appropriate information to enable them pressurise the government, board of directors and all others who are responsible to fast-tract the project.

Also, a member representing Tai Constituency in Rivers State House of Assembly, Dike Matthew, said their decision to task HYPREP to take urgent step in providing water to the affected communities was based on the recommendations by UNEP report, which says that water sources in the area are contaminated.

Dekil said a lot had been done to ensure a successful remediation and restoration of the people’s livelihood.

In another development, 45 beneficiaries of the presidential amnesty programme have graduated from two Belarusian universities, with three of them clinching first class honors in Information Technology.

A total of 29 were said to have majored in various fields from the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics while 16 others trained in related areas at Brest State University, Belarus.

While the First Vice Rector of Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, Dr. Siarhei Dzit, encouraged the graduands to apply the knowledge gained in advancing society, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Co-ordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd), commended the delegates for outstanding performance.

Boroh encouraged them to take advantage of opportunities in the region, especially the current efforts by government to involve Niger Deltans in oil production through the establishment of modular refineries, community pipeline surveillance and massive job opportunities in railway projects.

A representative of the beneficiaries and first class awardee, Christopher Okorie, expressed appreciation and thanked the Federal Government and the amnesty office for the unique opportunity given them to study in one of the best universities.

He said they are now change-agents with the hope to give back to their country through professional service delivery and to humanity.