MOSOP replies Rivers govt, says Ogoni communities aiding oil pipe vandals

Rivers State8

Prof Barinua Fakae former VC Rivers State University (left)and Legbosi Pyagbara, MOSOP President at the NUJ Correspondents' Chapel on Wednesday in Port Harcourt

Prof Barinua Fakae former VC Rivers State University (left)and Legbosi Pyagbara, MOSOP President at the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel on Wednesday in Port Harcourt

By Okafor Ofiebor

President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Dr Legborsi Pyagbara, has expressed regrets that at the time the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari accepted to clean-up Ogoniland as recommended by the report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the communities are the ones aiding activities oil thieves polluting the area.

“The communities are in full support of their children engaging in such acts. Before now, we thought it was only women that were supporting the artisanal refining, but we have realized that men are in full support.

“Few months ago, I held a meeting with people of the communities where these illegal activities are high. To my greatest surprise, they told me that if their children stop the artisanal refining, where would they get money to feed them?” Pyagbara narrated.

He lamented that the illegal oil bunkering activity in Ogoniland was the greatest threat to the success of the ongoing clean-up of the area.

The MOSOP President disclosed this on Wednesday in Port Harcourt while speaking at a symposium organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Rivers State, on the topic ” UNEP Report: Assessing Stakeholders Compliance in Ogoni clean up” as part of activities marking the 2019 Correspondents’ Week.

Pyagbara lamented that the number of impacted sites in Ogoniland has increased more than it was three years ago due to activities of illegal oil bunkering in Ogoni communities.

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“Artisanal refining, which we call ‘kpofire’ or illegal bunkering is the greatest challenge facing the ongoing clean of Ogoni. It will be impossible for the clean-up exercise to be successful when kpofire business is going on”, he warned.

He pleaded for the support of the Media in engaging in serious campaign against the menace.

He reminded the audience that Ogoni ethnic nationality whole-heartedly accepted the clean-up exercise as recommended by the report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) because it had to do with the environment, adding that his organisation, MOSOP, was playing the role assigned to it by UNEP.

“On post-assessment stage of the clean up, MOSOP has played the roles given to it by the UNEP report. We had a challenge convincing the people that money will not be shared because UNEP report did not recommend payment of compensation to impacted communities.”

Also speaking at the event, former Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Professor Barinua Fakae, sad it is regrettable that nothing seemed to have been done to save the environment from destruction.

Fakae said “The environment belongs to all of us. That we stay and don’t do anything about the environment is very sad. While we may survive the current realities, our children will suffer it.”

The Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, and the Regent of Ekpeye kingdom, Eze Felix Otuwarikpo, had on Monday, at the same NUJ event, accused security operatives in Rivers State of aiding and abetting oil pipe vandals causing environmental pollution in the area.

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