The Senate, on Tuesday, instructed its committee on
Environment to commence investigations into the implementation of the
Ogoni cleanup exercise.
The Federal Government launched the cleanup project in June
last year. The initial cost of the cleanup exercise was put at $1 billion.
Apart from the investigation, the Environment committee was
also asked to assess the progress of the Great Green Wall programme initiated
to control desertification in 12 northern states.
The resolutions followed a motion on “World Environment Day”
sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment, Sen. Oluremi
Tinubu.
Sen. Tinubu expressed worry that despite the launch of the
Ogoni cleanup campaign, it does not appear that work has commenced in the area.
Senator Tinubu in her lead debate noted that 5th of June is
World Environment Day, set aside to create awareness for environmental issues
and protection of the environment.
She further noted that the theme for this year’s World Environment
is “Connecting People to Nature,” in
celebration of nature’s beauty and man’s
dependence on nature for his wellbeing.
She observed that the Sustainable Development Goals include
ensuring clean water and sustainable hygiene, sustainable urban development,
sustainable consumption through increased use of natural resources and
reduction of toxic materials, combating climate change and its adverse effects,
conservation of aquatic resources and preservation of terrestrial biodiversity.
The Lagos central lawmaker said that in the light of the
country’s environmental issues such as gully erosion in Eastern Nigeria,
desertification in the North and large scale environmental degradation in the
oil rich South-South, illegal mining, uncontrolled and excavation of laterites,
there is a need for the country to be proactive in addressing its environmental
issues.
She expressed concern that unmitigated environmental issues
have widespread effects on the economy, health and social wellbeing of the
people.
The lawmaker also expressed concern that women and children
are the most vulnerable groups and tend to suffer more from the effects of
environmental issues.
She noted that school curriculum fail to teach children at a
young age about the impact of their actions and their civic duty to the
environment.
“Tomorrow’s leaders”, she said, “ought to be equipped with
the knowledge to deal with future challenges.”
Sen. Tinubu reiterated that the environment is being held in
trust for the unborn generations and thus, must be kept in pristine condition.
She expressed worry about the absence of clear framework and
institutional actions to counter climate change and its effects and the
Implementation of the Paris Agreement (COP21) and COP 22 in the light of the
recently announced withdrawal of the United States of America.
Senator Tinubu’s six prayers including to call on government
at all levels to create a feasible framework for realization of the protection
environment under the sustainable development goals; urge the Ministry of
Environment to create awareness and sensitize Nigerians on environmental issues
with a view to safeguarding the health and wellbeing of the citizenry and to
urge the Federal and State Ministries of Education to include Environmental
studies in the curriculum of school children, were unanimously adopted.
Other prayers that were also adopted are to accelerate the
passage of the Erosion Prevention and Control Bill 2017 and other environment
protection Bills, to mandate the Ministry of Environment and relevant agencies
to create the framework to stop and prevent further deforestation and
degradation, and for replacement of lost vegetative cover and to mandate the
ministry to create a sustainable and viable framework to counter climate change
and its effects.
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki asked the committee
to look closely at the issue of Ogoni cleanup exercise.
By Fred Itua
