Clean-up of Ogoni, a political gimmick, says Wike

.’Senate will ensure judicious use of money budgeted for clean-up exercise’

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the Federal Government was not serious about the clean-up of Ogoniland.
Wike stated this when the Senate Committee on Environment led by Senator Oluremi Tinubu paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Port Harcourt, the state capital, adding that for now, the Ogoni clean-up programme remained a political project aimed at attaining political mileage.

He said that the people of Rivers State were tired of procrastination in relation to the execution of the cleanup.
He said: “The Federal Government is not serious about the cleanup of Ogoniland. We are tired of telling our people that the project will start next year.

“Let it not be a political project. Look at the North East, a commission was established and $1 billion released,” he stated.
He said that the devastation of Ogoniland has impoverished the people by destroying their farmlands and fishing waters, regretting that as a state that produces the wealth of the nation, Rivers State had no single motorable Federal Road.

Commenting on the soot, Governor Wike stated that it was a fallout of oil pollution, stressing that people were suffering the health hazards.
Speaking in Port Harcourt after an inspection tour of Ogoniland, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, vowed that the Senate Committee on Environment will ensure that all the money set aside for the clean-up of Ogoni land was judiciously used and the land properly cleaned.

Senator Tinubu said that the committee was in Ogoni for their over sight function and investigative visit to see what is on ground and the extent of devastation in Ogoni.
The Senate Committee Chairman that the Federal Government has already presented the 2018 appropriation bill with emphasis on the clean-up of Ogoni, adding that it was part of the responsibilities of the Debate to ensure that money budgeted for the cleanup was judiciously used.

She said that the Senate was in Ogoni to offer its support to the people of Phone. She, however observed that the Senate was aware that some rulers of Phone had gone to court on the matter, stating clearly that the Senate would not hand any matter already existing in the court of law
She also said that the Senate would ensure that the people of Ogoni would be fully involved in the clean-up of their land.

Senator Tinubu said: “We are concerned about these issues. We will use face masks when we get to the location. Face masks will draw attention to the message to world on the essence of the cleanup.”

Also speaking at during the committee’s visit to Tai, the Paramount ruler of Tai, Godwin K. Giniwa, the Gbenemene Tai and the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, expressed happiness about the clean-up, but said the exercise was too slow.
The Paramount ruler, however, pleaded with the people Ogoni to be patient with the Federal government on the clean-up and maintain the peace.

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt