Buhari Orders Clean Up Of Ogoniland
Nigeria's president, Muhammadu Buhari, has ordered the implementing the United Nations Environmental Programme’s report on the environmental restoration of Ogoniland.
According to Presidential spokeman, Mr Femi Adesina, the president kicked off the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme because he is committed to working for the development and well-being of all Nigerians.
He also noted that Mr Buhari wants the clean fast-track following the the recommendations of the Executive Director of UNEP, the UNEP Special Representative for Ogoniland, Permanent Secretaries of the Federal Ministries of Environment and Petroleum Resources.
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To prove that the president was serious, he already approved the amendment of the Official Gazette establishing the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project to reflect a new governance framework comprising a Governing Council, a Board of Trustees and the Project Management.
He said Buhari further approved that the HYPREP Governing Council should be composed of Ministry of Petroleum Resources (one representative), Ministry of Environment (one representative), impacted states -Rivers (one representative), oil companies and NNPC (four representatives), Ogoniland (two representatives), United Nations System (one representative) and the secretariat headed by the project manager.
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“Following a meeting held on the directive of President Buhari, it was also agreed that a contribution deposit of $10m will be made by stakeholders within 30 days of the appointment of members of the Board of Trustees for the Trust Fund who will be responsible for collecting and managing funds from contributors and donors.
“A new implementation template has also been evolved at the instance of President Buhari and the environmental clean-up of Ogoniland will commence in earnest with the President’s inauguration of the HYPREP Governing Council and the Board of Trustees for the Trust Fund"Punch newspaper quoted the presidential spokesman.
Meanwhile, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has warned President Muhammadu Buhari, not to discard the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
Source: Legit.ng
