A group under the auspices of Ogoni Youth Federation (OYF) has called for a supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment of Ogoniland to cover areas not captured in the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report in the past.
President of the group, Comrade Legborsi Yaamabana made the call while speaking with The Tide in an interview in Port Harcourt, recently.
The youth leader, said the additional environmental impact assessment will help to ascertain the current state of Ogoni environment especially in the face of the increase in illegal bunkering and refining of hydro carbons in the area.
He decried what he described as the “lackadaisical” attitude of the Federal Government, Internation Oil Companies (IOCS) and the Hydro Carbon Remediation Programme (HYPREP) towards the implementation of the Ogoni clean-up exercise.
The OYF leader said “It is regrettable that the clean-up of the ogoni environment has remained a mirage, as no concrete or positive impact has been recorded in the remediation effort.
“It is quite disappointing that the government has decided to play politics with the Ogoni clean-up.”
He said Ogonis now suffer untold hardship as a result of the damages due to the environment, and called on Shell to pay reparations and adequate compensation to displaced Ogoni farmers and fishermen.
He added that Shell should also provide potable water for Ogoni people and include Ogoni youths in the scholarship programmes and empowerment policies.
Yaamabana faulted Shell’s policy of exclusion on the ground that they were not operating in Ogoni, noting that the decades of their operation in Ogoni brought misery and hardship to the people.
He pointed out that the group was in support of oil resumption in Ogoni, but added that any company coming to prospect for Ogoni oil must enter into due consultation with all relevant stakeholders in Ogoni, including the youth.
“The Ogonis have learnt a lot from Shell, any company coming into Ogoni must have a track record in social contract, country participation and competence in the industry. The Ogonis have suffered a lot and must be allowed to have a stake in the management of their resources through community participation and ownership.
Source: TheTide