There is no clean-up ongoing in Ogoniland – Friends of Earth

Environmental Right Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) says the pronouncement by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, that it has commenced the clean-up of the Ogoni land contaminated areas is false.

HYPREP in January, went haywire on the media, claiming that it has allocated some contaminated sites to about 16 contractors, thereby, flagging off officially, the clean-up exercise of Ogoniland.

However, ERA/FoEN’s Executive Director, Dr Uyi Ojo, yesterday, said the independent inspection by ERA on the sites in Ogale, Ueken, Korokoro and Bodo among others, showed there was no sign the job had begun in any of the sites.

Oyo spoke at a news briefing to update stakeholders and reporters on the clean-up in Ogoni, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital yesterday.

At the event, 100 Community Independent Monitors (CIM), trained and equipped by the ERA, were unveiled, to provide qualitative and scientific progress reports on the clean-up process.

Describing the discovery as unfortunate, ERA/FoEN deplored the Federal Government and HYPREP for playing with the emotions of the Ogoni people.

He appealed to the Federal Government and HYPREP to stop the deceit and implement the emergency measures, including the provision of potable water, building of livelihood measures, construction of the centre of excellence, and the Integrated Contaminated Soil Management Centre (ICSMC), before the clean-up, as recommended by the UNEP report.

He said: “As we are gathered here, the verdict on Ogoni land by the UNEP environmental assessment has not changed. Recent visits to the communities indicate that Ogoniland remains a wrecked environment and environmental disaster zone; in spite of efforts made towards the clean-up. Till date, contrary to popular belief, not a drop of oil has been cleaned.

“The multiple claims that contractors have mobilised to site and that clean-up has commenced is false and there is no visible sign of contractors on sites going by reports from our independent field monitors who are closely monitoring the process and were there this week.” he said.

Speaking on activities of HYPREP, he said: “The report finds monumental deviation that has eroded public confidence and will likely compromise the quality of the clean-up process. Hence we request HYPREP to stick to the concrete recommendations relating to the clean-up process, as this report is of interest to critical stakeholder in the Ogoni clean-up.”

Providing useful tips on the way forward the activist said: “The Federal Government should comply with UNEP recommendation on emergency measures to provide the Ogoni communities water for drinking and other uses. In the short term, the Port Harcourt water corporation should play its statutory role of ensuring every citizen of the state has equal access to safe, adequate and reliable water supply.”

“HYPREP should stop so much talk show and begin to implement the serious issue of water provision for the people of the area who are till now consuming the same polluted water heavily contaminated with cancer-causing metal such as benzene which that kills slowly.