The Federal Government has officially kicked off the clean-up of oil spills in Ogoni land, Rivers State, South-South Nigeria as recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, report.

President Muhammadu Buhari was billed to launch the clean-up in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State today, but called off the trip for unspecified reasons, although there were speculations that it was due to “scheduling difficulties”.

But the ceremony went on as scheduled with Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, representing Buhari at the event. Osinbanjo described the occasion as historic not just for the people of Ogoni, but also for the entire Niger Delta region.

He said the clean-up programme was a restoration of the environment as well as the people’s health, wealth and livelihood and prayed that it would mark the beginning of real change in the land and in the future of the Ogoni People.

The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, who was on the VP’s entourage, called on the people to support the exercise as Government had kept its own side of the bargain with the official kick-off.

The minister assured that the federal government was not only committed to the implementation of the UNEP report, but would go further by ensuring that the Niger Delta region enjoyed improved security, good governance and economic boost.

UNEP had conducted an independent assessment of the communities affected by oil spills in the Niger-Delta and made recommendations for remediation.

The UNEP report was accepted by many residents of the Ogoni community and government decided to use the report as a starting point in the clean-up process.

According to the UNEP report, there are over 200 oil-impacted locations across Ogoni land and the full environmental restoration of the community will take between 25 and 30 years.