President
Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday commenced the process of implementing the United
Nations Environmental Programme’s report on the environmental restoration of
Ogoniland.
According
to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina,
the development is in keeping with Buhari’s avowed commitment to working for
the development and well-being of all Nigerians.
Adesina
said the President took the decision to fast-track the implementation of this
based on recommendations to him by the Executive Director of UNEP, the UNEP
Special Representative for Ogoniland, Permanent Secretaries of the Federal
Ministries of Environment and Petroleum Resources and other stakeholders.
The
presidential spokesman said one of the steps approved by the President for
immediate implementation was the amendment of the Official Gazette establishing
the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project to reflect a new governance
framework comprising a Governing Council, a Board of Trustees and the Project
Management.
He
said Buhari further approved that the HYPREP Governing Council should be
composed of Ministry of Petroleum Resources (one representative), Ministry of
Environment (one representative), impacted states -Rivers (one representative),
oil companies and NNPC (four representatives), Ogoniland (two representatives),
United Nations System (one representative) and the secretariat headed by the
project manager.
Adesina
added that the President also approved the composition of a Board of Trustees
for the HYPREP Trust Fund, to include one representative each from the Federal
Government, NNPC, international oil companies, Ogoniland and the United Nations
System.
The
statement added, “Following a meeting held on the directive of President
Buhari, it was also agreed that a contribution deposit of $10m will be made by
stakeholders within 30 days of the appointment of members of the Board of
Trustees for the Trust Fund who will be responsible for collecting and managing
funds from contributors and donors.
“A
new implementation template has also been evolved at the instance of President
Buhari and the environmental clean-up of Ogoniland will commence in earnest
with the President’s inauguration of the HYPREP Governing Council and the Board
of Trustees for the Trust Fund
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