Illegal Refineries, Threat To Ogoni Clean-Up -Hyprep

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), has expressed worry over the continuous  operations of illegal  refineries in Rivers State, noting that it poses serous threat to the  smooth implementation  of the United Nations  Environment Programme (UNEP) report in Ogoni land.
The  Project  Coordinator of HYPREP, Dr Marvin Dekil, who  disclosed  this in a chat with newsmen  in Port Harcourt over the weekend,  called for concerted efforts on the part of all stakeholders to put an end to operations of illegal refineries.
He said the illegal refineries not only posed threats to human health, but also damage the  natural environment and depleted the economic fortunes of the country.
Dekil called on all those involved in illegal  refineries to desist from the act to enable the smooth implementation  of the Ogoni clean-up exercise. He pointed out that; “it is important that we  work  together for the successful  implementation of the Ogoni clean-up exercise; the  exercise is very important,  and it is necessary that the issue of illegal refineries is addressed   once and for all.”
Dekil, who assured that the  Ogoni clean-up was on course  called for  proper  sensitisation  of the public  on the dangers of illegal refineries. He said  Ogoni and other Niger Delta  communities  have suffered a lot of damage  to their  health and environment  as a result of reckless oil and gas exploration activities  in the past, stating  that the time was ripe to correct the anomalies of the past.

Taneh Beemene