Consortium To Spend $300m On N’Delta Clean-up, Jobs

Respite may soon come the way of the beleaguered  people of Ogoni land and other communities in the Niger Delta which ecosystem have been devastated by the activities of multinational oil companies in the area as some foreign and local experts have begun moves for the creative remediation of hydrocarbon impacted areas in the Niger Delta.
Already, a consortium of Nigerian and Chinese firms have decided to undertake a pilot test in Ogoniland and in Bayelesa state from January to March 2015 to physically clean-up polluted sites and remediate them back to their natural state.
The consortium made up of Harmonia Exploration and Production Company Limited (HEAP) an upstream oil and gas company; Beijins Micro-cleaner Biotechnology Company Limited (BMCB) a high-tech biotogical enterprise and Clairgold Inspection Services Limited as local content partners, is to embark on what is termed the WP Bio-remediation technology emergency liquid spill control operation, the first of its kind, to showcase its expertise.
As proof of serious commitment to the project, HEAP has earmarked a working capital of $300 million to kick start the process in the Niger Delta.
The company’s Executive Chairman, Hon. Paul Fashanu Udofe who disclosed this at a workshop organised by the Foundation for Industrial Policy And Economic Research (FIPER) Tuesday in Port Harcourt, hinted that the clean-up and remediation of the Niger Delta would, in the long run, employ 350,000 persons and engage over 1.5 million persons directly in employment and income for between 20 to 25 years.
Illuminating the project, Udofe further hinted that some 200 to 500 youths would be employed during the test period of January to march 2015 in Rivers and Bayelesa States, adding that a successful demonstration of a work plan with industry stakeholders would be set up by HEAP and BMCB in that regard.
He explained that while some of the youths would be trained on the application of bio-remediation techniques to clean up and remediate the mangroves and polluted waters, others would be trained to operate heavy equipment to dig polluted dump sites and carry soils to special rehabilitation centres to be located in strategic areas of the Niger Delta.
Pledging unflinching support for government’s transformation agenda and good cooperation with communities and oil companies, the HEAP boss stated that the whole idea of the project was to develop a public, private partnership with the federal Government through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its agencies to ensure the creation of new opportunities in the Niger Delta for a long term sustainable investment in the clean up and remediation of the Niger Delta to its natural state.
He said the consortium expects Government to set up structures that would enable investors in the project re-coup their investment and make the problem of oil pollution an opportunity for income and employment.
In his speech, BMCB’s General Manager, Mr. Ya Da Sheng reeled out the company’s success story of dealing with the most devastated ecosystems, and assured that the best technology would be deployed in solving the problems arising from the devastation of the ecosystem I the Niger Delta area.

Victor Tew

Cross section of choristers during Christmas Carol at Christie Tony Inclusive Educational Centre, Iriebe, Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: Egberi A. Sampson