The National Coordinator
of Ogoni Solidarity Forum and Human Rights activist, Mr. Celestine Akpobari has said that the governing board for the clean-up of Ogoni land has been expanded to include other communities in the Niger Delta.
He said that about four persons outside the Ogoni ethnic group would be included in the board to represent the interest of other Niger Delta Communities.
Akpobari who was speaking in an interview on a radio station monitored in Port Harcourt, said the expansion of the board was reached in the last meeting they held in Abuja with the Federal Government on the constitution of the board before the proper clean up.
He said that there could be other areas in the Niger Delta that were more polluted than the Ogoni environment, but that the voice of the Ogonis had been so loud on the matter.
According to him, environment is key to development, and that when a man’s environment is being destroyed, that man is also indirectly destroyed.
Akpobari expressed confidence that the coast was clear for the clean-up, stressing that basic amenities such as pipe-borne water and electricity supply would be provided for the people.
He noted that the clean-up would engender economic growth in Ogoni land and debunked the rumour that people were charged the sum of N3,000 as registration fee for work.
The Human Rights activist stated that only traditional rulers would compile the names of persons from their respective communities that would be engaged for work.
He solicited for maximum cooperation of all sons and daughters of Ogoni to ensure a proper clean-up of Ogoni land.

Corlins Walter