$177m raised for Ogoni Clean-Up, says FG

The Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibril, on Monday disclosed some of the plans by the Federal Government for the Ogoni Land Clean Up revealing that the sum of $177million has been raised so far.

Jibril at a meeting with the Deputy High Commissioner of the British Embassy in Abuja noted that while $177million has been raised for the cleanup, about $23million is expected from refineries before the end of October.

“The board of trustees have opened an account and that account has been credited with the sum of $177million.

“This is what is supposed to be given by the oil majors and to pay for the cleaning and restoration of this degraded areas.

“An initial bill of $1billion was to be used over a period of five years. So, with the $177million for this year 2018, the balance of $23million is expected to come from the refineries.

“We have written to inform the President, he has given directives that the Petroleum Ministry should handle that issue. So, I believe before the end of the month, we should raise the remittance of the balance of $23million that is supposed to make it $200million for this year.”

The Deputy British High Commissioner, Ms Laure Beaufils, in response assured of the British Governments commitment in addressing climate-related changes in Nigeria.

• Sourced from Channels TV report