In keeping with his avowed commitment to working for the development and well-being of all Nigerians, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has approved several actions to fast-track the long delayed implementation of the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report on the environmental restoration of Ogoniland in the country’s oil-rich Niger Delta region.
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, stepped up the environmental clean-up of Ogoniland with the approval of several actions for the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report on the environmental restoration of Ogoniland.
The approval was in keeping with his avowed commitment to working for the development and well-being of all Nigerians.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the actions approved by President Buhari, were based on recommendations to him by the Executive Director of UNEP, the UNEP Special Representative for Ogoniland, Permanent Secretaries of the Federal Ministries of Environment and Petroleum Resources and other stakeholders.
The actions include the amendment of the Official Gazette establishing the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) to reflect a new governance framework comprising a Governing Council, a Board of Trustees and Project Management.
This is even as he had directed stakeholders of the HYPREP Board of Trustees Trust Fund to raise at least $10 million within 30 days of appointment of members of the board. Further, he approved that the HYPREP Governing Council should be composed as follows: one representative each from Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Federal Ministry of Environment and Impacted States (Rivers).
Others include oil companies and NNPC with four representatives; Ogoniland two representatives; United Nations System – one representative, and that the secretariat be headed by project manager. He also approved the composition of a Board of Trustees for the HYPREP Trust Fund as follows: one representative each for Federal Government, NNPC, international oil companies, Ogoniland and United Nations System.
Also, the statement disclosed that “following a meeting held on the directive of President Buhari, it was also agreed that a contribution deposit of 10 million United States dollars will be made by stakeholders within 30 days of the appointment of members of the Board of Trustees for the Trust Fund, which will be responsible for collecting and managing funds from contributors and donors.
New implementation template has also been evolved at the instance of President Buhari, and the environmental clean-up of Ogoniland will commence in earnest with the President’s inauguration of the HYPREP Governing Council and the Board of Trustees for the Trust Fund.”
