Press Release: Ken Saro Wiwa, 18 years later
Saro Wiwa's life and death reminds us and calls us to task to ensure that the legacy he stood for and gave his life is not in vain. He fought to protect his people from the waste and degradation from oil exploration on the people and the environment. For this he was arrested, detained and eventually executed in 1995. 18 years after, the struggle and message for which he was killed still resonates with us. There is unrelenting degradation of the environment in the Niger Delta. We were all excited by the prospects the UNEP Report brought when it was submitted in 2011. But this hope is gradually sipping away as a result of the non-implementation of this independent report.
For the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology which I chair, this is still a cause for concern. Our committee' findings which is congruous to the recently released report by Amnesty International and the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) which lead us to table the NOSDRA amendment bill before the National Assembly that there is a regulatory and legal failure lending itself to the environmental impunity we see in the Niger Delta. We ask all who are offended by the Level of degradation going on in the Niger Delta to sign up to ensure that this bill becomes law. We hope to get enough support to pass this legislation in order to bequeath to our people wherever they may be, a livable environment. We must keep in mind that the weakest among us bear the greater brunt of this on going environmental injustice. They deserve better.
As the Chairman Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, I will continue to insist on the complete implementation of the UNEP report as a basis to begin reversing the environment degradation in this part of the country and ensure that oil exploration in Nigeria is carried out in a manner that respects our environment.
Collectively, we must not allow Saro Wiwa's effort vanish in vain. The polluter must be made to take responsibilities. We can no longer continue this business as usual.
Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki (CON)
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