Ogoni Clean-up: CSO Offers Solutions To HYPREP On Re-pollution

A civil society organisation, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC Nigeria), has proffered solutions to the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), on the re-pollution of Ogoniland in Rivers State, through illegal oil bunkering activities and artisanal refineries.

It advised the agency to create a database for those involved in artisanal refining activities with the aim of providing them alternative livelihoods opportunities and partner with development agencies for modular refineries.

YEAC-Nigeria executive director, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, spoke yesterday at Mogho community in Gokana local government area of the state,at an event organised by HYPREP to sensitise ex-artisanal refiners in Ogoniland against re-pollution.

He also advised the agency to support establishment of the Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI), as well as provide of electricity for entrepreneurship, empowerment, skills acquisition and scholarships.

Fyneface, whose presentation was titled: ‘Alternative Livelihood Opportunities for ex-artisanal refiners in Ogoniland’, urged HYPREP to adopt, support, scale down and join to facilitate for ex-artisanal refiners and youths of Ogoni to prevent re-pollution and guarantee a sustainable clean-up process for the environmental restoration of Ogoniland.

He said the aim was to sensitize artisanal and ex-artisanal refiners in Ogoni against involvement in acts of illegal refining that contributes to pollution and re-pollution as the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Report on Ogoni 2011 is ongoing.