By Gabriel Ewepu

Following the recent resolve by the Federal Government to clean-up Ogoniland after three years that the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, submitted its report, the Host Communities Network of Nigeria, HOCoN, has demanded transparency in the implementation of the restoration exercise.

Coordinator, HOCoN, Preye Pawuru, said the decision by the Federal Government to commence the clean-up of Ogoni land was a welcomed development, but stressed the need to involve host communities in the implementation process.

Pawuru said, “We are happy with the decision of the government because over three years we have been waiting and we welcome the action, but the action should bring about trust and transparency.

For over three years of the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, report, and many decades of oil pollution in the Niger Delta, trust and the willingness of the key actors, and the remediation of the Niger Delta is still low.

“In order to build the infrastructure of affected communities, especially in Ogoniland, and in this project it is necessary that trust is built.”

“The only way trust can be built is for the effective participation of the affected communities, and in fact, the involvement of key stakeholders in the Niger Delta in the implementation of the UNEP report.

“It is important that the key actors are involved, that is, the communities, the polluter-Shell, and the government, also including international observers. Otherwise it is another kangaroo solution just to avert or douse tension in the area.”

He argued that the clean-up process ought to involve more stakeholders as part of the recommendations made in the UNEP report as only Bishop Matthew Kukah  cannot ensure the willingness of the government and Shell in the implementation process.

“ Bishop Kukah is representing the Ogoni people in this matter, but there are more stakeholders in the issue in the Niger Delta, only that the Ogoni people are directly involved in the UNEP report.

“We want all the civil society groups to be involved, also the extractive industry, and key stakeholders in Ogoni land. Kuka alone cannot ensure transparency, build the expected trust, and he alone cannot guarantee trust and transparency,” he stated.

”There are some recommendations in the UNEP report and one of them is to set up a restoration fund, with a start up of $1 billion. The all clean-up exercise, according to the UNEP will take nearly 30 years, the more the stakeholders, the more the merrier.