Eleme (Rivers) – Mr Nnimmo Bassey, Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) on Tuesday pledged the Federal Government’s determination to play its role in ensuring transparent clean up of the Ogoni.
Bassey stated this during HOMEF’s serial training programme of some Ogoni youths on community monitoring in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers.
He debunked rumours describing the clean-up inauguration as a jamboree, adding that his organisation was poised toward developing ecology defenders to ensure proper follow-up in the Ogoni clean-up.
The training tagged: “Fish not Oil, Let the Ogoni Clean-up begin,” has its participants drawn from the four local governments of Ogoni Ethnic group.
Bassey said the training was necessary as only the citizens of the Ogoni ethnic group were in the best position to speak on the genuineness of the clean-up process.
“This training would re-awaken participants on Federal Government’s intent to kick-start actual exercise in line with the UNEP report guidelines as soon as possible.
“It is necessary for our trainees to know what chemicals are toxic to the environment, how the clean-up would rid the environment of such toxins.
“We are training participants to become veritable tools for peace and cohesion in the communities to enable the safety of both foreign and local facilitators of the entire process,” he said.
Mr Celestne Akpobari, National Coordinator, Ogoni Solidarity Forum, and a resource person during the programme, enjoined the Federal Government to ensure urgent steps for the actualisation of the Ogoni clean-up.
He expressed dismay over delayed progress in the clean-up and urged the Federal Government to provide proper platform and political will for actual take-off of the exercise.
According to him, the economic down-turn in the country had nothing to do with the Ogoni clean-up as finance meant for the exercise was not part of the country’s budget.
“All that is required from the Federal Government is the political will to drive UNEP report implementation and not to finance it.
Monies meant for the clean-up process is not part of the country’s budget and has nothing to do with the country’s economy,” he said.
Mrs Nneka Waigosi, who spoke on behalf of other participants in the programme, thanked HOMEF’s initiative and promised to serve as a link between the Federal Government and the Ogoni people.
She assured the group’s readiness to promote peace, and support judicious fund management towards preparing the environment for agriculture. (NAN)