An environmentalist, Morris Alagoa, has called on the Federal Government to extend the ongoing Ogoni cleanup project to other crude oil-polluted areas in other Niger Delta states.
Morris who is Deputy Executive Director, Environmental Defenders Network, made the call in a paper presentation at the Angiama Heroes Remembrance Day and Awards, held at Angiama, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
He stressed that well-meaning individuals in society and communities must ensure the protection of the environment at all times.
He reiterated his support for the ongoing fight against illegal refining of crude oil.
Expressing disappointment at the monumental environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, he urged the Federal Government and the oil industry operators to embark on a comprehensive cleanup and remediation of hundreds of legacy spill sites in Bayelsa and other states of the region.
He said, “I use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government to extend the ongoing cleanup in Ogoni to other Niger Delta states to ensure all legacy spill sites are cleaned up.”
On the situation in Bayelsa State, he said, “Luckily, the Bayelsa State government has also through the Bayelsa Oil and Environment Commission come up with another damning report, stating how devastated and polluted the Bayelsa environment is.”
On the ongoing indiscriminate logging in the forests across the Niger Delta region, he called on stakeholders, including state governments to do more to protect forest resources in the region.
Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Francis Sikoko, the Dean of the Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, charged individuals and groups to always work towards a better society and inspire the young to aspire to worthy causes.
Coordinator and Vice President of Olotu-Isian-Aduba Keniwennimo Angiama, organisers of the programme, Kenneth Osede, said it is important to honour people who have made meaningful contributions to the development of the society.
Among the Izon Olotu awardees transcribed to mean Ijaw Champions were Morris and a former federal lawmaker who represented Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma federal constituency in the House of Representatives and one-time Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, Prof. Steve Azaiki
