By Dwelleth Morountodun
The Minister of State for Environment, Barr. Sharon Ikeazor, has said federal government is committed to implementing the recommendation of the United Nations Environment Project report.
She said this is coming after years of non-violent struggle and agitation for environmental right and justice in Niger Delta, which attracted international attention, the Federal Government of Nigeria invited the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to carry out an environmental assessment of Ogoniland.
The report was submitted to the Federal Government in 2011, she added.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari, had promised the Ogoni people during his campaign that if voted into power, he will implement the recommendations in the UNEP report.
Therefore, in 2016 the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) was set up to carry out the Ogoni clean up in line with the recommendations in the UNEP Report.
The President assured the people of Ogoni, the Niger Delta, Nigeria and the International community that his government is still committed to the full implementation of the recommendations in the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) report on Ogoniland, 11 years after the report was submitted to the government of Nigeria.
The Minister in collaboration with UNEP is organizing a 2-Day retreat with critical stakeholders comprising of members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), the Governing Council and the Central Representatives Advisory Committee (CRAC) of HYPREP, UNEP, representatives of the Joint Venture Partners and management staff of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
The Director of Press and Public Relations, in the Ministry, Mr. Saghir El-Mohammed, in a statement, said the retreat, which will hold in Abuja on 17th and 19th will provide an opportunity for UNEP to present the recommendations it made in the report that was presented to the Federal Government in 2011 as well as the Federal Government Gazette on the establishment of HYPREP.
Ikeazor, promised the Ogoni people that the federal government will ensure that the project recovers lost time and delivers on its mandate.
The retreat is expected to reposition HYPREP to function much more effectively and efficiently to deliver to the Ogoni people the benefits of the project.
