Date Published: 02/25/10

Illegal oil bunkering thrives in Ogoni

APPARENTLY shaken by the volume of bunkering going on in the Ogoni axis of Rivers State,  the state Government has threatened to withdraw its support to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNED) remediation efforts in the area if the Ogoni people fail to fight against the unwholesome  activities of bunkerers there.

 Mr. Blessing Wikina, Acting Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chibuike Amaechi said the governor stated this  on Thursday during a meeting between the Presidential Implementation Committee on the clean up of oil impacted sites in Ogoniland, the leadership of United Nations’ Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Rivers State Government in Government House, Port Harcourt.

 According to Mr. Wikina, an Ogoni, Amaechi said reports of increased illegal bunkering activities in the area at this time when UNEP officials are engaged in the clean up of old oil spill sites in the area, calls for serious concern.

Secretary to the State Government Mr Magnus Abe, also an Ogoni, has accordingly been directed by the governor to convene a meeting of Ogoni stakeholders to urgently address the issue, noting that Ogoni elites and leaders must re-assure the federal and state government as well as the UNEP official of their collective resolve to fight illegal bunkering in the area.

 ''Governor Amaechi  noted that the stakeholders meeting has become imperative to avoid waste of money, time and energy in the clean up of impacted oil spill sites when the youths are engaged in causing more damage to the environment through their illegal bunkering activities'', the governor's spokesperson said.

 Mr. Amaechi said he would prefer if UNEP partners with the state government to provide potable water to all communities of Ogoniland rather than engage in providing social amenities that do not meet the greater needs of the people.

 The governor noted that Rivers people are not the poorest in the country and questioned the rationale behind renewed illegal bunkering activities in the area, when the state government was doing a lot to improve the lives of the citizenry through the provision of social services.

 The governor blamed the people for chasing away investors from the area, through their criminal acts and warned them of the health hazards associated with environmental pollution, while urging community leaders to take responsibility of security issues in their areas.

Minister of Environment, Mr John Odey, who was also at the meeting, reportedly lauded the state government for providing adequate security and furnished office space for UNEP officials involved in the clean-up of impacted oil spill sites in Ogoniland.

 ''Mr. Odey also expressed appreciation to Governor Amaechi for his leadership role in the Niger Delta region particularly his efforts in ensuring the commencement of UNEP clean up exercise in Ogoniland'', Mr. Wikina said, pointing out that the United Nations Environmental Project Coordinator Mr Michael Cowing in his presentation on the update of the project, said there are new oil spill sites caused by activities of saboteurs and cautioned against the continuation of the illegal activities.

 According to him, ''Mr Cowing disclosed that the team had held consultations and sensitization with some Ogoni communities in course of the project and assured that their activities are in consonance with international best practices and sued for cooperation from the people.''

 Speaking on behalf of the Ogoni people,Godwin Gininwa, a monarch, said the people are eager to see the actualization of the project, and urged the government to ignore such people to ensure the completion of the clean up in record time.