NIGERIA/FILE: The United Nations Environment Programme has presented its environmental assessment of Ogoniland in a report to Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan

Record ID: 235494

  • Title: NIGERIA/FILE: The United Nations Environment Programme has presented its environmental assessment of Ogoniland in a report to Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan
  • Date: 5th August 2011
  • Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (AUGUST 4, 2011) (REUTERS - NO ACCESS NIGERIA) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) PRESIDENT JONATHAN ARRIVES CUT AWAY OF EVENT BANNER PRESIDENT JONATHAN RECEIVES REPORT SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIA PRESIDENT, GOODLUCK JONATHAN, SAYING: "The studies from the presentations are quite comprehensive. The time used and the results that have been mentioned shows clearly that a lot of scientific work has been done and we are happy because a case study, it will help us not to solve only the Ogoni problem but also to look into some other parts of this country that oil exploration, exploration and production has been going on over the period." A UNEP TEAM MEMBER PRESIDENT JONATHAN DEPARTS WIDE SHOT OF VENUE OF MEDIA BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNEP SPOKESMAN, MR NICK NUTTAL, SAYING: "I mean it's pretty clear from the assessment that the oil pollution has gone further and farther than perhaps many people previously supposed so in terms of exposure to the people of Ogoni land eh. It's probably true to say that with this scientific evidence, there are probably more people at risk than had been supposed before this report came out but certainly one of the findings is that there are probably tens of thousands of wells in Ogoni land which could potentially be contaminated." MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR, UNEP DIVISION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY IMPLEMENTATION, MR IBRAHIM THIAW, SAYING: "We feel that an initial investment of 1 billion dollars will be necessary to actually do the initial clean up of the top soil over the next five years and to also cover some of the cost that are associated with that activity including the capacity building activity and the centre of excellence that was proposed needs to be also supported." PEOPLE LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) MR IBRAHIM THIAW, SAYING "Ehm, the process was extremely transparent, eh… public meetings, all stakeholders who had a say were invited to participate and as you heard in the presentations, more than 23,000 people were consulted in this process." SHOT OF PRESS SHOT OF HIGH TABLE
  • Embargoed: 20th August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: International Relations,Disasters
  • Reuters ID: LVA3B0CVDZZAPK59LEBJQU6I4EDC
  • Story Text: The United National Environment Programme has delivered a report to Nigeria's President, Goodluck Jonathan on the extent of the damage oil pollution of over 50 years has affected Ogoniland in the Niger Delta region.
    The U.N. report put blame on both Royal Dutch Shell and the Nigerian government for neglect and says $1 billion is needed to start up the world's largest oil clean-up.
    According to the UNEP report, the environmental restoration could take 30 years as the pollution has destroyed the communities' fishing environment due to the lack of maintenance of oilfield infrastructure which has created public and safety issues.
    President Goodluck Jonathan says he is happy with the report.
    "The studies from the presentations are quite comprehensive. The time used and the results that have been mentioned shows clearly that a lot of scientific work has been done and we are happy because a case study, it will help us not to solve only the Ogoni problem but also to look into some other parts of this country that oil exploration, exploration and production has been going on over the period," he said.
    UNEP spokesman, Nick Nuttal reveals that the oil pollution has worsened with time.
    "I mean it's pretty clear from the assessment that the oil pollution has gone further and farther than perhaps many people previously supposed so in terms of exposure to the people of Ogoni land eh. It's probably true to say that with this scientific evidence, there are probably more people at risk than had been supposed before this report came out but certainly one of the findings is that there are probably tens of thousands of wells in Ogoni land which could potentially be contaminated," he said.
    Director, UNEP Division for Environmental Policy Implementation, Ibrahim Thiaw says it requires a lot to do the clean up.
    "We feel that an initial investment of 1 billion dollars will be necessary to actually do the initial clean up of the top soil over the next five years and to also cover some of the cost that are associated with that activity including the capacity building activity and the centre of excellence that was proposed needs to be also supported," he said.
    "Ehm, the process was extremely transparent, eh… public meetings, all stakeholders who had a say were invited to participate and as you heard in the presentations, more than 23,000 people were consulted in this process," he added.
    The findings which have been compiled over a 14-month period recommends that three new institutions are set up to support environmental restoration to be contributed by the oil companies and government for the first five years of the clean-up.
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