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IOCs Contribute $1bn For Ogoni Clean-Up, FG Confirms
International oil companies (IOCs) have so far contributed about $1billion for the implementation of Ogoni clean-up project.
The Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, made this known during a news briefing organised by the ministry in Abuja on the ongoing clean-up of Ogoniland.
According to Abubakar, the remediation of 21 lots of phase one batch has been cleaned while 17 lots were done by Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
He said that 10 out of the 17 lots were closed-out by the National Oil Spill Detection Agency (NOSDRA), adding that the certification sampling of three lots for close-out was completed.
Abubakar said, “While the other three are awaiting certification sampling for close-out by NOSDRA, the remaining five, which are yet to be completed by HYPREP, are at various stages of completion.
“Also, 36 remediation contracts comprising two project activities, namely soil remediation works, 29 lots, and tier two assessments of groundwater works, seven lots, were awarded in February, 2020.
“However, due to the global Coronavirus pandemic in the first and second quarters of 2020, activities preceding mobilisation of these contractors to site were slowed down.
“As at today, nine remediation lots have been completed, and are awaiting NOSDRA certification, and seven other contracts for detailed quantitative environmental risk assessment to determine groundwater conditions in some selected sites, were completed.”
The minister said that the Federal Government inaugurated the construction of six water schemes on March 22 at Khana, Tai and Gokana local government areas of Rivers State.
He said that the sites were Bori/Kpean Water Scheme in Khana Local Government Area, Barako/Bori-Dere/Kpea Dere water scheme in Gokana LGA.
He gave others as Terabo water scheme in Gokana LGA, Korokoro/Nonwa water scheme in Tai LGA, and Alesa and Ebubu/Nsisioken/Ogale water schemes in Eleme LGA.
He said that the rehabilitation and construction works had started in all the sites.
Abubakar said that about 882 youths in the communities were engaged by batch one remediation contractors while additional 1,118 youths were also engaged by batch two remediation contractors.
“Therefore, as at today, a total of 2,000 temporal jobs were created in the course of remediation.”
“The job was across the four LGAs of Ogoniland, besides the numerous indirect jobs that are to be created in the form of trading and support activities,” he said.
Abubakar said that International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN) trained 15 youths from the four LGAs of Ogoniland.
He said that at the end of the three months intensive training, the trainees fabricated machines used to set up a cassava processing facility at Korokoro, Tai LGA.
Abubakar said that strategy for the restoration and management of degraded mangrove vegetation involved planning, decision making and implementation of the restoration programme.
The minister said that the programme was based on Shoreline Assessment Technique (SCAT) outcome, adding that the SCAT would provide information and data on the extent and depth of contamination.
He said that the SCAT would offer guidance on the most suitable technique for the clean-up of the impacted shoreline to ensure the reduction of ‘environment harm.
He said that the selected technique would ensure environmental benefit for both flora and fauna were achieved.
“The proposed size for the SCAT is 1,000 hectares along the shorelines of creeks and rivers and is categorised into three phases.
“Phase one covers 300 hectares upstream while phase two covers 300 hectares mid-stream and Phase three covers 400 hectares down-stream.
“Each of the phases is achievable within six months of field work. The SCAT process will be undertaken by a team of professionals drawn from the critical stakeholders,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.