Ogoniland: FG pledges to restore environment to acceptable standard
The Federal Government has flagged off the second phase of its free medical outreach in communities in Khana Local Government Area (LGA) of Ogoniland as part of activities put in place for the implementation of the United Nations Environment Report (UNEP) on Ogoniland Speaking at the Flag-off ceremony at the weekend, the Project Coordinator of […]
The Federal Government has flagged off the second phase of its free medical outreach in communities in Khana Local Government Area (LGA) of Ogoniland as part of activities put in place for the implementation of the United Nations Environment Report (UNEP) on Ogoniland
Speaking at the Flag-off ceremony at the weekend, the Project Coordinator of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Dr. Marvin Dekil, said the overwhelming success of the first phase of the outreach programme held in Bori, Kana LGA got the attention of President Mohammadu Buhari, a statement said.
He said the president was touched by the poor living conditions of the Ogoni people due to the degradation of their environment by oil exploration, and therefore approved another round of the medical intervention to reach more people.
He said that as a result of the intervention, many who for years had agonized under painful but treatable medical conditions because of limited access to health facilities or lack of the financial wherewithal to treat such conditions, were attended to.
Dr. Dekil said the remediation of Ogoniland will be done only by experienced and best hands locally and internationally so as to achieve the desired results of restoring the environment back to an acceptable standard.
He noted that while the medical outreach is going on, plans were underway for the provision of potable water through the reconstruction of existing water facilities in the land and the construction of new ones to fill the supply gaps in the communities.
The HYPREP coordinator therefore urged the benefiting communities to give their usual cooperation and understanding to enable the project team deliver on its mandate.