Why Ogoni cleanup will be delayed
By Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt | 03 July 2016 | 4:11 am
Chief Pyagbara Legborsi,
Chief Pyagbara Legborsi,

•Logistics challenge, infrastructural gaps knock take-off
•As Federal Government reiterates call for patience

The actual implementation of recommendations by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Ogoniland might not commence till next year.

The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, has, however, said President Muhammadu Buhari remains committed to the mission, perceived delays notwithstanding.


According to Legborsi Pyagbara, President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), the clean up might not start in the next six to eight months.
He told The Guardian that Ogoni currently lacks the requisite manpower to assist environmental experts push ahead with the exercise.

He said that in a bid to ensure that the project benefits local communities, stakeholders agreed that at least 300 to 1000 Ogoni youths needed training within and outside the country.

“We want it in such a way that our community will benefit. If the clean up commences today, where are the people with the technical capacity and ability to be engaged in the process? That means recruiting some young Ogoni, sending them abroad or anywhere in this country to train for a minimum of six months, so that they will be certificated and deployed during the actual clean up. It will take a minimum of six months to get a certification, locally and internationally,” he explained.

The MOSOP President said these are the initial basic things that need to be done before the actual clean up can begin. He also noted that building of the strategic Centre for Excellence and Integrated Soil Management Centre are yet to be implemented.

Pyagbara noted that during the study that culminated in the UNEP report, about 5000 samples taken from various locations in Ogoni had to be couriered to laboratories in London and America, warning that unless a soil management centre is built, the project would suffer logistical challenge of couriering samples overseas.

He said: “If you consider the cost of couriering 5000 samples, you will know how much that gulps. So, there are two ways. It is either we continue with that type of process or we ensure that the Integrated Soil Management Centre is built first. That centre alone will take a minimum of six months to a year. In fact, UNEP said it is going to take 18 months. But I received information, recently, that there is technology that can enhance building of the centre within eight to 12 months. That means everything will be fabricated outside. But our thinking is that the thing has to be built, here, so that it will encourage local participation and create jobs. And that means we have to go for the process that will take 18 months.”

Pyagbara expressed optimism that the governing council and the board of trustees for the clean up might be announced next week. He disclosed that the composition of the council and board were concluded last year.


“Last year, there was no consideration for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to be in the governing council. Now, there is a proposal that they have to, because they have the sole responsibility of dealing with all the issues of the region. So, there have been arguments back and forth. There are a couple of institutions, which were not there last year. And which, with the benefit of hindsight, people are saying we need to bring on board. Such has also contributed to the delay.”
The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, meanwhile, has called for patience, as government sets about laying the foundation for the clean up.

According to her, President Buhari remains steadfast in his conviction to clean up Ogoniland, even as she stressed the complexity of the initiative and need to carry all stakeholders along

So why the hurry to flag off the project then if not to shore up support for the forthcoming July rerun elections.
Legborsi, who told you Ogonis do not have the requisite manpower to initiate a clean-up, have you scouted for Ogoni sons and daughters in institutions abroad? Personally as one having no direct interest in the exercise, I know more than 5 PhD environmental researchers in the UK, of ogoni origins. Scale that up across the uk and then around the world or rather put politics aside and call for applications if you wouldn't receive a huge number of very impressive cvs.

Was the government not aware of these challenges before rushing to press and making it feel like Jonathan and co were stupid.

I will say it for the umpteenth time on this forum, Ogoni cleanup if we will be honest with ourselves is still a long step away, only on another thread we are talking about the chronicand debilitating issue of the cash calls owed by NNPC and you expect them plus JV partners to cough up 1billion usd clean-up fees. The government needs to present her concrete plan as regards funding as anything short of that is lied and an attempt to hoodwink the gullible people of ogoni.

Its an issue that pertains to people's lives and I believe the government shouldn't play politics with it.

Only a week or two ago they have started renewing chatters of resuming oil production in ogoniland.

Maybe that's how the government intends ramping up oil production, good strategy , sooth the people's minds by flagging off a clean-up then gaining access to their oilfields, resume production and tell them more stories in the long run.

Btw tit pls attach a source, although I do not need any source to tell me what I already know.

The more you look the less you see... This is a big disappointment and disgrace to Nigerians.

Hope they are not going to play politics with it.

buhari,
na so we go dey go?
betrayal and disappointment everywhere!
no ram for ramadan!