Senate Monitors Ogoni Clean Up Exercise

Senate, Hassan Muhammed Gusau , at the weekend said that the committee would soon go on an oversight visit to monitor the level of clean- up exercise and to ensure that the contractors handling the job are genuine and are really working.

Gusau , who spoke with team of environmental rights group who paid him a courtesy visit to call for strict monitoring of the clean- up and push for the reading of a bill on the establishment of renewable energy council of Nigeria , which was put forward by the Environment Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA /FoEN) , said the committee would ensure monies spent on the clean- up are used judiciously.
He said: “ The Senate has asked a lot of questions during the last budget defence regarding the clean-up in Ogoniland because a lot of contracts were awarded and we have not seen any efficiency in that regard.

“ We in the Senate are here to make sure the job is done . We are to see that the people are satisfied. So , a tour to inspect the clean -up is very important and I will discuss this with the committee members. ” Leader of the delegation and Executive Director of ERA/ FoEN, Godwin Uyi Ojo , said that many of the contractors engaged for the clean -up exercise lacked the qualification to do so.

He, therefore , urged the involvement of civil society groups in the monitoring of the exercise. He also said a renewable energy bill was very important as Nigeria makes effort to move from over -dependence on fossil fuel energy to renewable energy .

Ojo , who pleaded with the Senate to make special consideration in the area of tax reduction and moratorium to the sector to stabilise it and further generate income, said : “We are here to plead with the Senate to look into the renewable energy council bill and ensure its passage. We also propose to the Senate, through your committee, to have a tour of the Niger Delta and this is critically related to the clean- up of the Ogoni. We are also saying that the new tax increase should not be extended to the renewable energy sector because it is still struggling . ”

Gasau , who spoke earlier on the reduction of Value Added Tax ( VAT) on renewable energy products, promised to take up the issue with the Senate leadership as issues on the VAT increase are still being discussed in the upper chamber .