The Rivers State Government, has cautioned the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) and other relevant Federal Government agencies of the consequences of the continued delay in the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Dr Nyema Weli, who said this during a meeting with representatives of the Royal Dutch Shell subsidiary last week in his office, also called for the urgent deployment of remedial measures to cushion the sufferings of the people in the affected communities.
Dr Weli expressed worry that several months after the report was submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan, nothing concrete had happened, regretting that after many years of sustained spillage and pollution in Ogoniland, the relevant agencies of government had not initiated measures to mitigate the environmental impact of crude oil production and gas flaring on the people of Ogoni and the entire state.
The commissioner stressed the need for corporate organisations operating in the state to be more responsive to the yearnings and aspirations of their host communities as it is the only way to promote harmonious co-existence between them and the communities in the state.
According to him, as corporate citizens of the country, they have to show concern for the plight of fellow Nigerians, saying that their stupendous wealth and healthy living derived from the communities had not in any way translated to good health and development in host communities.
Meanwhile, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has identified 15 hydrocarbon sites in Ogoniland for clean-up and remediation.
A senior management staff of the company, Mr Franklin Igbodo, who said this while briefing the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Nyema Weli in his office in Port Harcourt, also said that 10 out of the 15 identified sites had been assessed, pointing out that remedial work would commence in the next two weeks.
Igbodo also said that SPDC had carried out series of medical check-ups on people in the affected communities, and further commenced clean and treated water trucking in partnership with the Rivers State Government, while workshops have been held on the impact of the spill on the environment.
Source: (THETIDENEWSONLINE) http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2012/07/23/unep-report-rsg-cautions-shell-against-delay-as-spdc-identifies-15-sites-for-remediation/
