[size=14pt]Nigerian oil pollution may need world's biggest clean-up: UN[/size]
By Ola Awoniyi (AFP) – 3 hours ago
 
ABUJA — Decades of oil pollution in Nigeria's Ogoniland region may require the world's biggest ever clean-up, the UN environmental agency said Thursday as it released a landmark report on the issue.

The United Nations Environment Programme also called for the oil industry and the Nigerian government to contribute $1 billion to a clean-up fund for the region that activists say has been devastated by pollution.

Full restoration of the region could take up to 30 years, UNEP said.

Activists reacted to the report by issuing harsh criticism of oil giant Shell, historically Nigeria's largest producer, which operated in Ogoniland until it was forced to withdraw amid unrest there in 1993.

Shell maintained its stance that oil theft, sabotage and illegal refining were the main causes of pollution.

"The environmental restoration of Ogoniland could prove to be the world's most wide-ranging and long term oil clean-up exercise ever undertaken if contaminated drinking water, land, creeks and important ecosystems such as mangroves are to be brought back to full, productive health," UNEP said in a statement.

The study of the effects of pollution in Ogoniland, part of the Niger Delta, the country's main oil-producing region, follows a two-year assessment by the UNEP.

Its report marks the first major attempt to scientifically document the effects of oil pollution in the region of mainly farmers and fishermen. UNEP called the wide-ranging assessment "unprecedented".

The report points out major health risks in the region of Africa's largest oil producer.

"In at least 10 Ogoni communities where drinking water is contaminated with high levels of hydrocarbons, public health is seriously threatened," the UNEP statement said.

"In one community, at Nisisioken Ogale, in western Ogoniland, families are drinking water from wells that is contaminated with benzene -- a known carcinogen -- at levels over 900 times above World Health Organization guidelines.

"The site is close to a Nigerian National Petroleum Company pipeline."

After being presented with the report, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, the first head of state from the Niger Delta, said the government would consider how to move forward.

"The Nigerian government is going to discuss with Shell and other oil companies that have operated in the area and other relevant agencies of government to see how we can handle this report," he said.

Anglo-Dutch Shell, Nigeria's oldest operator, was forced to leave Ogoniland in 1993 following community unrest sparked by poverty and allegations of environmental neglect, however pipelines still cross the area.

"Although we haven?t produced oil in Ogoniland since 1993, we clean up all spills from our facilities, whatever the cause, and restore the land to its original state," Shell said in a statement after the report was released.

"The majority of oil spills in Nigeria are caused by sabotage, theft and illegal refining."

Amnesty International took aim at Shell in its reaction, alleging it has failed to deal with years of spills.

"Shell must put its hands up, and face the fact that it has to deal with the damage it has caused," said Audrey Gaughran of Amnesty.

Amnesty has estimated that, if all types of oil pollution in the vast Niger Delta are added up over the past half-century, it would be "on par with the Exxon Valdez every year over the last 50 years."

Ledum Mitee, the head of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, an regional activist group, called for the government to withdraw Shell's licence to operate in reaction to the report.

Ogoniland was the native region of Ken Saro-Wiwa, the renowned environmental activist who was executed by a Nigerian military government in 1995 after what was widely considered a show trial, drawing global condemnation.

His activism and execution drew the world's attention to Ogoniland.

Just this week, Shell accepted responsibility for two oil spills in Ogoniland. The Bodo community took legal action in Britain against Shell over the spills in 2008 and 2009, which affected rivers and waterways over a large area.

A spokesman for Shell's Nigerian operations said it would pay compensation but said the process could take several months.

The company said the amount of oil spilled amounted to some 4,000 barrels and maintained that illegal refining and oil theft were the major causes of environmental damage.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gRtJxh9hpjnho7njM50_5mUkQvdw?docId=CNG.22a775fe529cfc482bb6c28cd3f32f95.21

It's a shame what our greedy leaders allowed these oil companies to do to our people and environment.

***couch,cough*** We will see what Mr 7 years single term agenda will do about it.

Shell maintained its stance that oil theft, sabotage and illegal refining were the main causes of pollution

So True     . . . . The people themselves contributed to their plight in no small way . . .But not without blaming shell initial modus operandi of treating the Niger Delta people with disdane . . .thinking that once the leaders and government have been settled  . . then the communities don't matter . . . . When people feel rejected,trampled and looked down upon . . .shortcuts would definitely be deployed to even scores and survive

Amnesty has estimated that, if all types of oil pollution in the vast Niger Delta are added up over the past half-century, it would be "on par with the Exxon Valdez every year over the last 50 years."

In at least 10 Ogoni communities where drinking water is contaminated with high levels of hydrocarbons, public health is seriously threatened," the UNEP statement said.

"In one community, at Nisisioken Ogale, in western Ogoniland, families are drinking water from wells that is contaminated with benzene -- a known carcinogen -- at levels over 900 times above World Health Organization guidelines.

Now people get to appreciate what precipitated the Niger Delta crisis . . .Telling poverty and suffering even in the midst of wealth others are looting on a per second basis . . .

The United Nations Environment Programme also called for the oil industry and the Nigerian government to contribute $1 billion to a clean-up fund for the region that activists say has been devastated by pollution.

Full restoration of the region could take up to 30 years, UNEP said.

30 years is a pretty good time to see appreciable results if consistent concerted efforts are made to implement the best available option to  mitigate this crisis . . .politicizing the contracts to cronies would just amount to this money filling greedy pockets . . .Just hope the UN get involve with this and make sure . . . recommendations are met with equivalent action,transparency and sincerity . . . . Time for some Nigerian Dons to earn their name   . .

After being presented with the report, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, the first head of state from the Niger Delta, said the government would consider how to move forward.

"The Nigerian government is going to discuss with Shell and other oil companies that have operated in the area and other relevant agencies of government to see how we can handle this report," he said.

They better act fast . .and make their consideration snappy . . .cos this action plan would go a long way in pacifying and ensuring long lasting peace in the Niger Deltan better than the current Amnesty package . . .


Looking forward to the implementation of the rudiments of this report . . . Shell learnt their lessons pretty late, before they realized how scornful they were being regarded by the Niger Deltans especially the Ogonis with respect to their degraded land and eroded means of livelihood. . . even though they currently have the best practicable environmental option installed in the oil and gas industry . . .though they can still improve on their current H.S.E policy implementation . . .

The 'Revenue Allocation Formula' should be amended in favour of people in the South South/South East.

They need to be compensated for the damage oil extraction has done to their environment.

Sun of god:

The 'Revenue Allocation Formula' should be amended in favour of people in the South South/South East.

They need to be compensated for the damage oil extraction has done to their environment.

No!!! True federalism and let every tribe have their own region with borderlands as military barracks

Ogoni people are suffering a big ton!! They don't need representation in their Rivers state, they need their state!

There should be no minority in Nigeria if Nigeria is to work , How can I accept the fact that I am minority in my native land?

playmode:

***couch,cough*** We will see what Mr 7 years single term agenda will do about it.

What about using coconut for your cough? It works very fast. Em, Em, roasted corn always works felli

Who cares? I don't.

$1 Billion,

i dey laugh

the money will go into one or two pockets and they will all fu.xc.k off again.

They want to clean up useless swamps ;
A few big heads there will just get some money and it will die down till the next set of leaders.
And then they will make some noise and get something, and so on, and so on, #
vicious cycle down the toilet= nigeria

God of mercy. Man's inhumanity to man. But Mr UN. Do you want other oil producing communities to riot like the Ogonis before you do an across the board assessment of them or do you think it is only Ogoniland that has been this violated?

See how the rest of the world feels. A lot of racists degrading remarks.

http://news.yahoo.com/nigeria-oil-pollution-may-massive-clean-155456821.html

good , they should start right away!

this 30 yrs too long and the cost also too cheap! are they planning to pay the field workers 18000 nairas/month?

If it's going to take 30 yrs to clean up Ogoniland, my children's children's children's great grandchildren may never see a clean Nigeria.

Where are those APC lying liars to show GEJ already initiated the clean up exercise of Ogoniland.