Don’t Halt UNEP Report Implementation, Activist Urges Ogonis

Renowned environmental activist and Director, Health of Mother of the Earth Foundation, Nnimmo Bassey, has urged Ogoni people, especially politicians to avoid anything that could delay the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme  (UNEP) report.

Bassey, who spoke during a workshop on ‘Building Community Resilience Towards Implementation of the UNEP Report’ in Bori-Ogoni, Rivers State, tasked the people to work in harmony to achieve the target of the clean up exercise.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in August announced that his government would fast track the implementation of the report on the assessment of the Ogoni environment.

But delay in carrying out the directive, The Guardian gathered, follows confusion arising from two separate lists of Ogoni components sent by politicians and another sent by the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni people (MOSOP).

It was also learnt that MOSOP had earlier submitted a list of the Ogoni component to be involved in driving down the process to the federal government while politicians in Ogoni brought another list through the back door.

While urging the Ogonis to speak with one voice to help realise the long awaited goal, Bassey called on MOSOP to reach out to other stakeholders in Ogoni.

He added: “MOSOP or politicians do not have right to do anything that will delay the implementation of the clean-up exercise. It is in the best interest of all stakeholders to work in agreement
“Cleaning up Ogoni land is not an issue for political patronage, its not about job for the boys or something to compensate the local contractors; we need only the best contractors because its about life not about money, it is more than monetary compensation because if the environment is cleaned up, everybody will live healthy and carry out meaningful business and be happy.“

Earlier, a social activist and All Progressive Congress (APC), chieftain, Celestine Akpobari, noted that the prevailing delay on the UNEP report is no longer caused by the federal government stressing that government is waiting on the Ogonis to harmonise the two lists sent by  MOSOP and the politicians.