PEOPLE of Ogoniland, Rivers State are demanding immediate compensation from the Federal Government and oil giant, Shell for the environmental devastation they have suffered over the years due to oil spillage, saying “justice delayed is justice denied”.
They also requested for immediate cancer screening for all people from the area, as well as creation of Bori State, assuring that they have enough resources to sustain the state once granted by the National Assembly.
These requests were made yesterday when a delegation of Ogoni people, led by former Rivers State Secretary to Government, Senator Magnus Abe, met with President Goodluck Jonathan in the State House, Abuja.
However, they reiterated their commitment to the unity of the country in spite of their grievances.
At the meeting were Vice President Namadi Sambo, Ministers of Niger Delta and Environment, Godsday Orubebe and Hadiza Mailafia respectively.
Also on the delegation were the paramount ruler of Ogoniand, Godwin Giniwina and Mr Ledum Mitee.
While thanking the government for contracting the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) to carry out a scientific research on the level of devastation in the area, Abbe, however, expressed disappointment that it took the Federal Government a year to act on the report of the UNEP report submitted last August.
They demanded that the $1 billion recommended by the UNEP for the clean-up of Ogoni be spent on them alone, lamenting that government was already deviating from the report by accommodating other areas in the restoration programme.
“Considering the irreversible devastation done to the environment, health and livelihood of the Ogoni by the petroleum industry as scientifically demonstrated in the UNEP report, the Ogoni people, hereby, ask for compensation from the Federal Government and from Shell. Justice delayed is justice denied. We, therefore, respectfully request that the issue of compensation be addressed without delay.
“Contrary to UNEP recommendation to setting up of the Ogoni Environment Restoration Agency that is specific to Ogoni, the Federal Government has decided to establish a programme that is wider in scope to cover other areas experiencing hydro-carbon pollution. We hope that this broad jurisdiction will not undermine the implementation of the UNEP report.
“Tragic and catastrophic as the situation is, the Ogoni people are concerned by a protracted and near absence of a strategic response by the Federal Government to the findings of the report.
“The Ogoni people are concerned that it took as long as one year for the Federal Government to respond to the report cognisance of the urgency of that report.
“Ogoni will appreciate receiving assurance from the Federal Government that the UNEP recommendation on Ogoni will be fully implemented regardless of intervention in other areas. “The $1 billion recommended by UNEP as start up point for the Ogoni clean-up will be spent on Ogoni alone. The Ogoni people will be given priority in business and job opportunities connected to the clean-up in Ogoniland as a means of amelioration poverty and joblessness in the area.
“The report will be implemented under the supervision of an internationally-recognised agency that will exercise oversight and quality assurance responsibility. We have in mind in this regard the UNEP that prepared the report.
“That there will be intensive health programme in Ogoni, including cancer screening and treatment to be undertaken by competent international agencies such as WHO,” the Ogoni people demanded.
On the creation of Bori State, they posited that it will promote sense of belonging and integration.
Abbe said: “Our people are of the strong view that the creation of Bori State is a necessity which the Executive arm and the National Assembly should give its test to.
“Such a state will include other ethnic groups in the South-East senatorial district in Rivers State and will also complement the national economy as the oil and gas resources of the area will enhance the national budget”. However, the Ogoni people insisted they have not called for cession, assuring that they will join forces with others to protect the unity of the country, asking Nigerians to disregard the recent report to that effect.
“Nigeria has the potential of a great nation and we support every effort to realise those potential. Even though, Ogoni has always support the call for devolution of power to local entities to reflect true federalism upon which the Nigerian nationhood is anchored, we wish to assure you, Mr President and indeed, assure the Nigerian people, that Ogoni remains committed to the unity of the Nigerian state and that we are with Nigeria, which is contrary to recent media report on Ogoni,” the leader of delegation said.
Responding, President Goodluck Jonathan pledged that his administration will work with the people of Ogoni in the implementation of the UNEP report, assuring that it will not be diluted.
On the purported transfer of Shell oil field to another company raised by the people, Jonathan said there was no directive to that effect yet.
Source: The Compass
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