By: Admin
Chairman of Khana local council in Rivers State, Dr.Thomas Bariere has urged the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, to give more attention to other elements that would translate to improving the living standard of Ogoni people as the clean-up exercise continues.
The council boss stated this during a one day stakeholders engagement meeting led by the Minister of State for Environment Mrs Sharon Ikeazor at the Suanu Finimale Nwika Hall in Bori, headquarters of Ogoniland.
He explained that the chairmen of the four councils that make up the area are committed to giving HYPREP the necessary support that will guarantee the smooth running of the clean-up exercise in their respective council areas.
He said, “First we want to thank HYPREP for undertaking the task of cleaning our environment, we also want to draw the attention of HYPREP to the issue of repollution. This occurrence is as a result of oil theft and most persons, who are involved in this oil theft, do so under the cover of security agencies, therefore government should as a matter of urgency look into this concerns.
“As council chairmen, we live with our people and are well abreast with the economic crisis and the developmental challenges of our people. We are not interested in long grammar, what our people are waiting for, is to hear that as the environment is been cleaned, the elements that will translate to improving the living standard of our people is giving grave attention.
Thomas urged HYPREP to engage youths of Ogoni in the cleanup exercise as well as other livelihood programmes.
“The unemployment rate in the area is on the rise, and we wish to state that our youths are employable and for those who are not, we are committed also to ensuring that they are supported to acquire skills that will make them employable. So as council chairmen our resolve is that HYPREP engages Ogoni youths in the cleanup exercise and other livelihood programmes that will help better their lives”.
“Ogoni people believe that through HYPREP there will be food for the common man and lives would be improved”
“Ogoni people are not interested in the politics of the leadership of HYPREP, what we want is results that will translate to the improvement of the living standard of our people he concluded”.
