Buhari’s administration making positive change in Niger Delta- Presidency

• Says progress in 21 Ogoni Clean-up sites, drawing international commendation

The Presidency on Sunday stated that the federal government’s new vision for the Niger Delta is making positive progress.

The presidency further stated that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has recorded significant progress in the Ogoni Clean-Up project, adding that this has brought positive changes to the Niger Delta region, as well as attracted local and international commendation.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, in response to media inquiries, noted that the progress report on the Niger Delta New Vision indicated clearly that “since the Ogoni Cleanup commenced in January 2019, with 16 contractors moving to site, a total of 21 sites has so far been handed over to contractors by Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) under the Federal Ministry of Environment.”

He said: “This is besides the commencement of the Maritime University in Delta State, now on full steam with over 1,000 students spread across 13 undergraduate courses in three faculties; and the progress made in the establishment of modular refineries, including the Niger Delta Resources Refinery, NDPR which has now moved from 1,000 Bpd to 6,000 Bpd a few weeks ago.

“There are altogether six modular refineries currently at different stages of completion in the 6 Niger Delta states of Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Imo States.”

Giving details on the Ogoni Clean-Up, Akande disclosed that “the 21 sites where remediation works are ongoing are located in four of the Local Government Areas in Ogoniland, namely: Eleme, Tai, Khana and Gokana Local Government areas,” adding that local and international commendation are being received by the Buhari Administration on the progress of the Clean-up.

According to the presidential spokesman, “the commitment of the Buhari administration to the Ogoni cleanup process has received several local and international endorsements, with visits to the sites by the Dutch Ambassador, British Deputy High Commissioner, US Ambassador, German Ambassador, Norwegian Ambassador, UNEP team, among others, all attesting to the progress being recorded in the Clean-up.

“As part of its commitment, HYPREP and UNEP recently trained young Ogoni scientists and other indigenes with relevant professional qualification from Ogoni. Twenty-one of these young Ogoni youths have returned from Geneva and United Kingdom, after an intensive training in Management of Contaminated Site Assessment, Clean-up Assessment, Clean-up of Contaminated Sites and Field Work Techniques.”