Josiah Egbilika
Senior Advocacy and Communications
The Centre For Environment, Human Rights and Development has appealed to ex-artisanal refiners to be patient with the ongoing clean-up process in Ogoni noting that the restoration of the communities is paramount to present gain.
CEHRD made the appeal in a one day seminar organized by Ogoni Ex-artisanal refiners Forum (OERF) in conjunction with Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) at Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria.
The seminar which was organized on Thursday, June 5, 2025, a day which marks the celebration of World Environment Day, brought to light the disadvantages of illegal refining to the environment, thereby encouraging the need for ex-artisanal refiners to seek for alternate livelihood that does not impact the environment negatively.
In a good will message, the coordinator of CEHRD, Dr Nubari Nabie represented by the Head of Environment and Conservation, Dr Tammy Cookey, appreciated the efforts of HYPREP in restoring the once degraded environment and appealed to the ex-artisanal refiners to be patient with the process as their community pride is being restored.
In his lecture titled “Clean up: Gains sustainability and the prosperity of Ogoni land, Prof DineBari Badey expatiated that the clean up gains are enormous which can be seen in the gradual restoration of livelihood in different parts of Ogoni land.
With this consciousness among the ex-artisanal refiners who most times are the key actors, it is believed that the issue of Oil re-pollution will be reduced to its barest minimum soon.
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