UNEP Report: Ogonis Seek Divine Intervention

Hundreds of Ogonis gathered at the All Saints Anglican Church, Bori, Rivers State, the traditional capital of Ogoni people to seek God’s intervention over the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Assessment Project (UNEP), report.

The UNEP report which recommended some measure of compensation to the tune of $1 billion for the environmental degradation and pollution suffered by the Ogonis as a result of oil exploration in the area was concluded and handed over to the Federal Government in August 2011.

Also, a committee, headed by Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke  set up by government to study the report, has submitted its own report.

But nothing has come out of the exercises as the Federal government was yet to act on the reports.

Thus, the Ogonis under the auspices of the Ogoni Generation Next Project (an organisation of young professionals) and Ogoni Church Leaders Council, held a special prayer session for God to touch the hearts of the authorities for the implementation of the UNEP report.

The Ogoni people led by their political, traditional and youth leaders prayed fervently for divine intervention in the situation as well as for peace in Nigeria and Rivers State.

Speaking on the UNEP report, the Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Magnus Ngei Abe lamented that close to one year after the report, nothing has been done to alleviate the suffering of the people.

He said that the UNEP project was initiated by the Federal Government and the Governor of Rivers State took it as a personal battle.

But the Senator expressed disappointment with the Federal Government over its non chalance to the implementation of the report.

“It is with some measure of disappointment that as we gather here to pray, I, as a Senator of the Federal Republic cannot say what is being done about the report, in spite of many representations”, he said.

According to him, the Rivers State House of Assembly, Federal House of Representatives, and Senate have all passed resolutions for the report to be implemented, but today. “We’re gathered here to pray that the president keeps not only his word but the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The Senator declared that the Ogoni were ready to talk with government and chided the Federal government for focusing on talking with group that did not want to dialogue and whose problems were unknown.

Meanwhile, the chairman, Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) Provisional Ruling Council, Professor Ben Naanen said that the people were not only calling for the implementation of the UNEP report but that Ogonis must have a say on how it is implemented.

Among other dignitaries that attended the event are the Gbenemene Tai Kingdom and Chairman, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, who is also the chairman Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM, King Godwin N. K. Gininwa, Justice Peter Akere Rtd, Ogoni political heavyweights and the people’s representatives in State and Federal House of Assembly.