From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Ogoni communities have said the Federal Government should compensate them for decades of environmental pollution suffered as a result of oil exploitation before contemplating resumption of crude oil exploration in the area.
They stated this after a meeting held under the aegis of Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI) where they called for the reversal of the “unjust and illegal” verdict that led to the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others and their exoneration.
They also called for the resettlement of host communities to oil facilities that have suffered high level of pollution alleging that some of the oil wells located in close proximity to residential homes made living so hazardous and dangerous in Ogoniland.
They said the resumption of oil and gas exploration and production in such lands would be unattainable and impracticable, unless those settlers located in close proximity to oil facilities and in contaminated areas were relocated to a safer environment.
Part of the resolution read: “Adequate compensation should be paid to Ogoni people for the sufferings, death of love ones and contamination of our environment resulting from the decades of unpleasant method and manner of oil and gas exploration and exploitation in the area with its attendant atrocities. Adopt the report of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Right on Ogoni Case. The unjust and illegal verdict that led to the killing of late Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others should be reversed for possible exoneration.”
President of OLI, Douglas Fabeke, who spoke at the meeting, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to halt further payment to Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Programme (HYPREP), alleging that the agency had misused the billions of naira released for the clean up.
He said the clean-up exercise in Ogoniland was not in line with international standard and best practices, saying the project should be re-visited by the Federal Government.