Ogoni Clean Up: Nigeria remediates 36 sites, commissions water projects

The Nigerian Government has recorded remarkable progress in the ogoni clean up project with the remediation of 36 polluted sites and additional commissioned seven water projects in Ogoni region of Rivers State.

These successes are part of the Federal government’s effort to achieve environmental restoration and development in the region.

Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who made these known on Tuesday after a meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ogoni leaders at the State House, Abuja, also disclosed that the completed 36 sites are now recognised as environmentally certified areas for public use.

Abbas Lawal further highlighted the administration’s significant strides in tackling age long environmental challenges in the area.

“This administration has been doing very well because the project has been there for over five years, but the commitment of President Tinubu has moved it forward remarkably,” Lawal said.

He noted that, prior to the Tinubu administration, only one water project was  completed in Ogoniland.

“As I’m talking to you now, eight have been commissioned, so seven have been commissioned under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he stated.

The Minister of Environment further made known that the federal government has made remarkable progress in the remediation of polluted sites.

“In the area of remediation, we have done about 36 sites, they have been completed, and they’ve been certified as environmentally conducive for people,” the Minister confirmed.

The Minister said the administration is also addressing health concerns linked to pollution.

Lawal explained that efforts are underway to build medical facilities and conduct comprehensive health assessments in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).

“We are doing a very comprehensive analysis of the kind of ailments in that area, and we are working to address the issues of pollution-related illnesses,” he said.

Restoring Ogoniland’s ecosystems has been another priority, with significant attention given to mangrove reforestation.

“So far, we have planted more than 2 million seedlings of mangroves in the last six months, and we’re still on that. The mangroves are the source of livelihood for many, supporting fish, shrimp, and crab populations,” the minister noted.

Lawal expressed optimism about the ongoing efforts to restore peace and economic activities, including oil prospects in Ogoniland.

“I feel that this administration, more than any other, has done so well for them in trying to bring them back to where they were,” he said.

The meeting with Ogoni leaders forms part of President Tinubu’s broader agenda to address environmental, economic, and health challenges in the Niger Delta region.

According to Lawal, these initiatives align with the President’s eight-point agenda for national development.

NSA To Lead Peace Efforts

Meanwhile, President Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to lead efforts aimed at fostering unity and restoring peace in Ogoniland.

While Speaking to State House Correspondents, the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, emphasized the importance of cooperation among stakeholders to achieve lasting harmony and prosperity in the region.

“The meeting is essentially about bringing peace to Ogoni people and the need for the various groups to work together as a group so that there will be more prosperity in the land of Ogoni,” Momoh stated.

The President’s directive places the NSA at the center of peacebuilding efforts in Ogoniland.

“Mr. President has already given the assignment to the National Security Adviser to coordinate that and also urge all the stakeholders in Ogoniland to cooperate with the National Security Adviser,” the Minister explained.

Momoh reiterated that the primary goal of the meeting was to address issues of division and ensure a united front among Ogoni communities.

“Essentially, it’s all about peace in Ogoni and how the various groups can work together,” he said.