Minister Calls for Private Sector Support for Ogoni Cleanup

During a conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Nigerian Minister of Environment Balarab Lawal called for enhanced participation from the private sector and donor agencies to sustain the Ogoni cleanup project, which aims to remediate hydrocarbon pollution in Ogoni land. Lawal stressed that the cleanup program is designed as a long-term intervention requiring sustained funding and technical support.

He acknowledged the contributions of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which provided a scientific foundation for the ongoing remediation efforts. The project has successfully remediated hundreds of hectares of polluted land and is working on water schemes to support affected communities.

Despite these achievements, Lawal warned that funding challenges pose a significant threat to the project's sustainability. He appealed to development partners and private sector players for financial and technical support.

Emmanuel Deeyah, chairman of the Ogoni Trust Fund, also emphasized the need for collaboration to attract resources for the cleanup initiative.