One of the aftermaths of the recent oversight tour to the Ogoni clean-up site by the Senate Committee on Environment is the resurgence of arguments around the pace at which the exercise had been going. In this interview with The Neighbourhood Emma Owhondah, Ogoni environmental activist, Comrade AkpoBari Celestine, reveals those behind the slow pace. However, he is of the opinion that President Muhammadu Buhari need intervene in the saga to move the exercise forward.
During a recent visit to the Ogoni clean-up site you the Senate Committee on Environment, Governor Nyesom Wike was quoted as saying that the clean-up has been too slow. Is that true?
(Governor Nyesom) Wike said it was a scam but I agree that we’ve been too slow.
If you agreed it's been too slow, what's responsible for that?
Non release of expected funds to the Project Coordinator.
Who should be doing the release of the funds?
The supervisory ministry.
The Federal Ministry of Environment?
Yes, the Federal ministry of Environment. All the monies approved by the Governing Council had not been released.
Why would you think the Federal Ministry of Environment would not want to release necessary funds for the clean-up?
From the first 10 million dollars which is over 3billion naira, the Project is yet to receive 300 million naira.
Who in particular could be held liable for this?
The problem I suspect is coming from who should control and spend the money, the ministry or the project.
But by the governance procedure, who should control the money for the project?
The Minister is in-charge (of the Federal Ministry of Environment) but the DFA(Director, Finance & Accounts), the Permanent Secretary and Legal Adviser are very powerful people in the Ministry that can frustrate any movement. The Board of Trustees should be in-charge of money.
Why would you suppose there could be an internal sabotage?
The BOT is supposed to release money directly to Project Coordinator upon approval by the GC(Governing Council) but this first 10 million dollars is with the ministry and not the BOT
Why was the $10 million sent to the Ministry than the BOT?
That money was tagged “funds for administrative take off”.
So, in all of these scenarios, who is actually holding down the proper take-off of the clean-up?
The Ministry is holding down things. I am sure that non-release of this cash to the Project has delayed the payment of the balance 190 million by Shell and the refineries.
So, had the $10m been released, Shell and others would have made more releases towards the funding of the clean-up?
Yes.
How then do you think the obvious crisis of confidence between the Ministry of Environment and the BOT can be resolved for the sake of the project?
The Governing Council is working to correct any anomaly.
How soon can the efforts yield good results?
This year has ended. I am looking at January.
So you mean that full implementation of the clean-up would be by next January?
The project coordinator is an expert and very determined. If he gets money this afternoon, he will hit the ground running.
What role can the Senate Committee on Environment that recently visited the Ogoni Clean-up area do to facilitate the release of necessary funds?
The Committee will invite the Minister and give him ultimatum but they will surely ask for their share in any money released, either through contracts or whatever means. They must want to have their share.
Ask from the Ministry or Board of Trustees?
The project.
The Project Coordinator?
The HYPREP project itself. Not the project coordinator. They have a management. You know the way politics is played in Nigeria.
Is there any way Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe can intervene in this?
Senator Magnus Abe in the past presided over a Senate committee session where the minister and HYPREP coordinator were invited. I don't know why we didn't get anything from that appearance.
Gov. Wike said the clean-up is a “scam”, and going into an election year, how would your party convince Ogoni people that it is not indeed, a scam?
They(Federal Ministry of Environment) need to step up the game. President (Muhammadu) Buhari and the Vice President (Yemi Osinbajo) should be informed of what is going on there.
Source: Neighborhood
