The Nigerian Government Wednesday announced that 21 firms are to mobilise to site in the next two weeks following the contribution of $180 million by major oil companies for the clean-up of the Ogoni oil spills and reclamation of the environment.
Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubril, said this while addressing State House Correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
According to Jubril, the $180 million was currently domiciled in a special Escrow account with the Standard Chartered Bank of London.
He explained that the fund was raised from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and other joint venture companies and were being managed by the Board of Trustees of HYPREP (Hydro-Carbon Pollution Restoration Project).
He said, “Currently, there is funding for the clean-up, because of the confidence the oil companies have in the government and the governance structures that have been put in place, the opening of the Ogoni Trust Fund has been able to mobilise $180 million from the oil companies.
“The funds came from NNPC, SPDC and other ventures. The $180 million is in the Escrow account with the Standard Chartered Bank of London and the Board of Trustees is managing it.
Jibril explained that the shortlisting of qualified companies which had been ongoing for a couple of weeks now, has been concluded. “I can confidently tell you that before the end of this month, in the next two weeks, there will be 21 companies that will be mobilised to site to start the work,” he said.
He revealed that the Ministerial Tender Board sat a day earlier to consider the submission of the Procurement Department of HYPREP and 15 lots were up for grabs, which the Governing Council of the Ogoni Trust Fund will meet this Friday to ratify with the hope that the contractors will be mobilised to site next week or after.
The minister further disclosed that the council approved a memo for the ratification of the Doha Amendment of the Kyoto Protocol concerning the United Nations framework conventions on climate change.
“The Kyoto Protocol was crafted in 2004 and Nigeria is a party to that. The initial period of commitment of the protocol was from 2008-2012. The new segment now is from 2013-2020.
“The essence of this protocol is to commit advanced countries or developed countries that are mostly industrialised and are at the forefront of the production of gaseous emission, which is harmful to the environment,” he said.
Listing the benefits that Nigeria stands to gain from the Doha Amendment of the Kyoto Protocol. He said, “first of all, once the amendment is ratified as we want it to be, there will be access to financial assistance, which will help in motivating and adapting to impact of climate change.
“Secondly, there will be access to technology and capacity building and there will also be networking with other nations and organisations who are more advanced and can be of help to us as a country. And lastly, continuation of flexible mechanisms and contribution to global efforts as no one country has the solution for this problem alone. So the idea is to team up and then get the developing countries to be assisted effectively,” he said.
Source: The Sun
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