The All Progressives Congress has said that the steps taken by President Muhammadu Buhari to fast-track the environmental clean-up of Ogoniland has proved that he is a president who cares about the welfare of all Nigerians including those who didn’t vote for him.
NANA reports that Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the National Publicity Secretary of APC, said this during a media briefing in Lagos.
He said ”This action of the President transcends all the needless arguments about the appointments so far made by him, because it touches directly on the well-being of a long-suffering people.
”People whose farmlands, drinking water, homes and sources of living have been deeply affected by hydrocarbon pollution.
”The action also puts a lie to the antics of those who insinuated that the President would ignore those who did not vote for him in the March 28 presidential election.
”Undoubtedly, the most far-reaching action by the President has been to the benefit of the Niger Delta, where he is not known to have garnered many votes! What a pleasant irony.
”Pollution has reached groundwater. In one site, in Eleme Local Government, 8cm layer of refined oil is floating on the groundwater serving community wells.
”Crops were damaged, fish fawning places in Mangrove contaminated, oil fires kill vegetation and there was loss of Mangrove cover due to increased artisanal refining
”Surface water contains hydrocarbons. Floating layers of oil vary from thick black oil to thin sheens. Fish deserted polluted areas, which made the Fish sector suffer due to destruction of fish habitats.
”On the issue of public health, Ogoni community are exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons which are in the outdoor air, drinking water and contaminated soil.
”Community members in some areas drink water with BENZENE, a known carcinogen, at levels 900 times above the WHO guideline.
”A new implementation template has also been evolved at the instance of President Buhari, and the environmental clean-up of Ogoniland will commence in earnest with the President’s inauguration of the HYPREP Governing Council and the Board of Trustees for the Trust Fund.
”It is important to say that with these steps by President Buhari, he has proved beyond doubt that he is a president for not just those who voted for him, but for those who did not vote for him and those who did not vote at all. ”