Scene from the presentation
The Center for Environment human rights and Development, CEHRD, has unveiled a report on Environment, Health, Human Rights and Gender Baseline for Ogoni land Clean –Up.
The research outcome was launched at the Reitz Continental Hotel, Abuja on Thursday February 6, 2020.
Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, coordinator of CEHRD said the study was done with proper quality control in collaboration with the International Association for Impact Assessment explaining that the exercise became necessary as considerable time had elapsed between when UNEP conducted the baseline research that declared Ogoniland contaminated and now causing changes in the environment.
“There is a shift in the Ogoni baseline between UNEP 2011 and now, nine years past, the environment has changed so this is another baseline. This report is serving two roles in environmental-Impact Assessment, EIA and Ogoni Clean Up. It provides data`that will be useful in the Ogoni Clean Up while also serving as a pioneering step in entrenching gender and human rights impact assessment in the EIA as a doable.
He charged parties present, including representatives of oil and gas regulatory bodies, NOSRA and HYPREP, civil society organizations including, Amnesty International, Kebetkache, CISLAC, the media and development partners etc, to “go back, study the report and use it as tool for advocacy and impact assessment”.
Earlier, chairperson of CEHRD Chief Constance Meju had described the baseline report as a missing link for effective clean- up of Ogoniland noting that an understanding of the true state of the land before commencement of the UNEP recommended clean-up would aid success of the exercise.
She said care of the environment was necessary to save the Niger Delta from extinction noting that events in Austrialia in recent times emphasize the reality of climate change.
Dr Akin Oke, country representative of Cordaid, sponsors of the report, said the baseline report was important to draw a line on what has happened in Ogoniland against what to look forward to.
He noted that CEHRD consistently backs its work with policy advocacy on issues to ensure common people are able to benefit from the social contract.
He thanked HYPREP for being present at the launch.
Present at the launch were national and state legislators, Hon Kingsley Chindah and Hon Dunamene Deekor of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Christian Ahiakwor and Hon. Dumle Maol of the House Committee on Environment, Rivers State House of Assembly, president Kagote, Hon Emmanuel Deeyah, Comrade Legborsi Pyagbara, former MOSOP president, Dr. Sampson Ebimaro, head monitoring and evaluation, HYPREP, Sir Cyrus Nkangwung, zonal director, South, NOSDRA, among others.
The baseline study report was presented by the trio of Prof Charles Tobin-West, Dr Ijeoma Vincent-Akpu and Rukevwe Siakpere-Ekine.
