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FG considers new technologies for Ogoni cleanup

By Cornelius Essen, Abuja
18 March 2021   |   3:12 am
The Federal Government yesterday hinted that it is contemplating using products and technologies developed by New York-based scientists for environmental remediation of Ogoniland

Ogoni cleanup

The Federal Government yesterday hinted that it is contemplating using products and technologies developed by New York-based scientists for environmental remediation of Ogoniland and other oil impacted areas of the Niger Delta.

Director in the Ministry of Environment, Olubumni Olusanya, who spoke during the demonstration in Abuja, said the technologies have been experimented with and were found to be effective.

Olusanya said the scientist had visited Nigeria to showcase the products to the world, adding that stakeholders had begun to engage him and that the country might likely engage the scientist for the Ogoni cleanup project.

“There are different types of remediation, when these technologies are accessed and they are good for the environment, then we will use them. We have seen how they work and how some firms used them.

“The firm wants to display the efficiency of the products and have already registered with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). Some companies used their product for the cleanup of Ogoniland,” he added.

Also speaking, Novel Horward, who demonstrated the products before officials of the ministry of environment, said: “We have tested it during the launch of the project in 2016.”

He added that the firm introduced the remediation products to the previous administration and that government officials were they are aware of this, stressing that President Buhari told them to get it happens and to resolve all issues.

“For the past 16 years, the Nigerian government has been open to the idea of using the new technologies for the cleanup and how they would work for the region.”

MEANWHILE, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has commended the Federal Government over the decision to spend N6b on the provision of clean potable water in Ogoni communities.

ERA/FoEN Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, said the measure was in line with the United Nations Environment Protection (UNEP) Ogoni Environmental Assessment report.

It restated its dissatisfaction with the performance of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland adding that the agency had failed to deliver on clear milestones, work plans, and key performance indicators, as well as lack of transparency and accountability in its operations.

The group, therefore, charged the Federal Government to ensure that the problems in the agency regarding the award of contracts for the cleanup to unqualified companies, political hangers, and members of the governing council and board of trustees of HYPREP was wrong.

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