As part of efforts to clean up the polluted Ogoniland, the Federal Government has said it plans to deploy the shoreline assessment technique (SCAT) in restoring degraded mangrove in the area.
The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar made this known at a press conference to intimate the media on government’s efforts and achievements in the clean-up of Ogoniland.
“Our strategy for restoration and management of degraded mangrove vegetation involves planning, decision making and implementation of the restoration program based on the Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) outcome, which will provide information and data on the extent and depth of contamination along with guidance on the most suitable technique for clean-up of the impacted shoreline to ensure that environment harm is minimised,” he said.
Saying the selected technique will ensure environmental benefit as both flora and fauna will be achieved, the minister gave the proposed size for the SCAT as 1,000 hectares along the shorelines of creeks and rivers which according to him is categorized into three phases: Phase 1- To cover 300 hectares upstream; Phase 2- 300 hectares of mid-stream and Phase 3- 400 hectares of down-stream. Each of the phases is achievable within six months of field work, he added.
He further said the Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) process would be undertaken by a team of professionals drawn from the critical stakeholders.
Listing the SCAT team for Ogoni shoreline cleanup, he said they included representatives from HYPREP -2, UNEP- 2, FME – 2, Rivers State Ministry of Environment -2, SPDC – 2, Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) – 1, Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) – 1, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) – 2, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) – 2, Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) – 1, and KAGOTE – 1.
