The Minister of environment has expressed commitment to ensuring a proper clean up of Ogoniland

The minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, stated this during the visit and presentation of Alten Ecology by the Project director Mr. Vitali Poliakov at the minister’s office yesterday.

The Minister said this would enable farmers and fishermen return to their practice so as to enhance the well being of the people.

He pointed out that the project was being handled by Alten, which was working with some partners like PAXEROX OIL SERVICES LIMITED

Abbas Lawal said in line with established procedures, they had requested to have a documented Memorandum of Understanding between the companies, which had been forwarded to them.

“In line with the expected procedure when it comes to the issue of permitting products or technology in the realm of external waste management, we have to have a kind of technical presentation in which we preliminary evaluate what the product is all about, what the technology is all about.

“In terms of applicability of the technology and the products, then eco-friendliness because we can have a product that is good but we cannot be friendly with the environment.

“And efficacy, how good is the product when it is used, of the range of products and the technology to be deployed.

“Then we want to know what kind of jobs the company has done. Then what will be the responsibility of each partner in Nigeria. This we raised with our colleagues here, I remember last time. What specifically will be the responsibility of each partner when it comes to the implementation of the products in Nigeria?

“Then we would like to have evidences of accreditation of the products and technology; where the products and technology are coming from, they may have some licences, but it is a global requirement that when you are introducing a new product to a new environment,” he said.

The Nigeria partner Dr. Emmanuel Alabi said the original position of Alten in the cleanup of Ogoniland and Niger Delta as a whole is not just all about the money making.

“I can guarantee you that at the end of the project, 70 – 80% of the money will still be spent here in Nigeria because at the end of the day, all the local content, all the machinery, tools, work, and all of that are going to be sourced locally here. They are just going to bring about 15 or 20% of their whatever down here to join us here to enable us to accomplish that.

“And in that, we hope to see us get the youth trained to be able to repeat that same cycle in case such a thing again happens. What we need is just to supply the technical part of it. And the youth trained professionally will be able to handle that and take care of that on our own at the local level.

“At that time, they are no longer going to be a full-fledged involvement like it is now, as we are about starting. That’s another very key point we are looking at.

“Apart from it, at the end of the day, our locals will have a joy going back doing what they like doing, doing their fishing, going back to their farming and the youthful restiveness will be laid to rest permanently because an idle mind, as you all know, it’s called the devil’s workshop. If everybody is engaged in doing one or two things, there will be chance for so many vices that we are seeing today in our society.

“Alten is just here. They have a lot of love for this country, like he has just said. And the university is also ready to give an extension programme to our youth, to our students, exchange programme that will be handled.

“And in that place, it’s like our science and tech university here, it is just the same thing like theirs. So they are going to train our students to be able to do some other things on our own, not relying permanently on a foreign aid,” he said.

Prince Lekue Akori said the issue of the Ogoni cleanup has been like a thorn in his flesh, especially as he was from the area, I want to reassure Nigerians that my partners will not only clean up the oil spills but recycle the spilled oil that has been over the years into use. It will run into barrels of oil depending on spilled areas which will be of benefit to Nigerians.

“I knew when there were a series of oil exploration companies in Ogoni land. But because of this situation we face now, the Ogonis are really out of business. The environment is destroyed and it has been a thorn in our flesh especially when you are close to the community.

“So we did all we could to make sure that we have to get Alten who are on ground now with us to make sure we have a lasting solution to this cleanup exercise.

He said if you look on media, a couple of days back, there were demonstrations from the Ogoni youth. They were asking federal government to speed up the process of clean up.

“Today, Hon. Minister sir, you have fulfilled my desire to make sure that we have this opportunity to do this presentation to you. And I tell us here that this message will be preached to the Ogoni people and I don’t think we are troublemakers.

“If we see a company that is ready to do what will make sure we have food and employment and training of our youth, definitely we are going to embrace them.

“And while we decided to go into full partnership with Alten, if you look at the document before you, we have what we call the Ogoni flag. They have to do all these colours representing what we have as Ogoni people.

“So to say that they are not only coming like my second just said, to do a work and to cart away money, but they are ready to return that money into the society and the environment where they operate.

“So I am very confident that Alten can do better than any other company we have given opportunity. And I use this as my own score point for them. I say this is a final solution to clean up of Ogoni land,” he said.

Partner and Chief Operational Officer of Alten, Vitali Polyakov, said they had the capacity for the project and expressed commitment to ensuring a proper job is done….