Senate Orders Probe Of $1bn Ogoniland Cleanup

The Senate has ordered its committee on environment to investigate the implementation of the celebrated Ogoni cleanup exercise.

Recall in June, last year, the Federal Government launched the Ogoni cleanup project with an initial cost price of $1 billion.

In the motion, the senator expressed worry that in spite of the launch of the Ogoni cleanup campaign, it did not appear that work had commenced in the area.

Tinubu, who is also the chairman of Senate Committee on Environment, noted that June 5 is World Environment Day, set aside to create awareness for environmental issues and protection of the environment, adding that the theme for this year’s celebration, “Connecting People to Nature,” was picked to celebrate nature’s beauty and man’s dependence on nature for his well-being.

She insisted that in the light of the country’s environmental issues, such as gully erosion in East, desertification in the North and large scale environmental degradation in the South-South, alongside illegal mining, uncontrolled and excavation of laterites, there was the need for the country to be proactive in addressing the issues.

She expressed concern that unmitigated environmental issues had widespread effects on the economy, health and social well-being of the people.