Photos: Buhari reaffirms his commitment to clean-up Ogoni land

President Buhari today reaffirmed his
administration's commitment to the
implementation of the United Nations
Environmental Programme's recommendations for
the clean-up of Ogoniland and other parts of the
Niger Delta which have been damaged by crude
oil spillage.
Speaking during a visit to the United Nations
Office in the Kenyan capital earlier today,
President Buhari urged the United Nations to give
more support for his administration's efforts to
clean up the region.
"When I came into office on 29th May 2015,
one of the first tasks I carried out was to
authorize the implementation of the
recommendations of the United Nations
Environmental Programme (UNEP) for the
clean-up of Ogoni land.
The devastation caused by oil spillage has
destroyed many lives and livelihoods and is
clearly one of the reasons why many people
in that region lost faith in Government and
resorted to the many criminal activities we
are seeing in the region today. The action
our government took to implement UNEP's
recommendations has given the indigenes
of the region hope that there are better
days ahead.
Let me, therefore, express appreciation on
behalf of the Government of Nigeria to
UNEP and other development partners for
their cooperation and support on this very
delicate matter and also request for their
continued support as we implement the
recommendations and transform the
fortunes of the region," he said.
Before leaving the United Nations Office,
President Buhari undertook the symbolic planting
of a tree, a tradition reserved for all visiting
Heads of State and Government.