The Nigerian Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, yesterday flagged off the $1 billion clean-up project in Ogoni land, Rivers state. The heavily polluted city has undergone a UNEP assessment at the requested of the Nigerian government with the report published in 2011. Now, with this commissioning, the cleanup is to be implemented in line with the recommendations of the UNEP.

The Vice President in his speech on behalf of the President said, "I recall the time as a military Head of State when I visited Bodo Town in Ogoniland. During that visit, I commissioned a large fishpond and planted a tree as a sign of government's concern for the environment.

"Unfortunately, since then, the degradation of land, water and air has done huge damage to the fragile ecosystem of the Niger Delta, especially Ogoniland.

"Today, we are in Ogoniland, in the heart of the Niger Delta to fulfill our promise to you and to bring justice and succour to our people. The clean-up of this land will require change on the part of all those who deal with the Niger Delta environment, particularly the oil companies and our communities. The tempo of this assignment increased when my cabinet was constituted.

"The Honourable Minister of Environment consulted all relevant ministries to actualize the UNEP report. We are therefore laying a solid foundation today for the restoration of the fragile ecosystem of Ogoniland and the rest of the Niger Delta".

The Nigerian Minister for Environment and a former top UN official said "It will require the trust that we have lost over the decades it will require transparency and accountability and it will require proper representation of the people in what we are doing in investing in their future. It will also require that we do things differently. That is why this administration called for change".

On his part, the outgoing UNEP Executive Director, Achim Stenier, was very clear in his speech saying "The people of Ogoniland have paid a high price for the success of Nigeria's oil industry, enduring a toxic and polluted environment for decades. Today marks a historic step toward improving the situation of the Ogoni people, who have paid this high price for too long. A clean-up and restoration effort like this cannot happen overnight, but I am hopeful that the cooperation between the Government of Nigeria, oil companies and communities will result in an environmental restoration that benefits both ecosystems and the Ogoni people of the Niger Delta. UNEP has provided the scientific basis for this work, and will continue to offer its technical expertise as needed to help ensure a positive result for all involved."

It was indeed a big day for the global environment and a huge government by the Nigerian government to the Paris Agreement. The challenge now is to sustain this action beyond the current government as the clean-up will take about 25 to 30 to complete.

It is not just aimed at cleaning up the community damage by over half a century of oil spills and air pollution, but also restoring the ecosystem and livelihood of the Ogoni people. The event was also attended by the incoming UNEP Executive Director who has been UNEP's special envoy to Ogoni land since 2013 and Nigerian football star and former Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo. Indeed, history has been made, the onus is on the Nigerian government and people to make the end better that this start. It will probably be the biggest of such project in the world when completed. It won't be an easy job but must be done for the people and planet.

Source: UNEP, THISDAYLIVE

Photo by: Esther Agbarakwe