President Muhammadu Buhari will today visit Rivers State to flag off the clean-up of the Ogoni land ravaged by oil spill and production degradation.
The clean-up will be inaugurated at Numuu-Tekuru Waterfront in Bodo-Ogoni, Gokana local government in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland’s environmental assessment.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has urged the people of the state to maintain peace during the president’s visit and urged them to give a rousing welcome to “our amiable president.”
“As part of measures to enhance security during Mr. President’s visit, I hereby place a ban on the operations of motorcycles and tricycles in Gokana and Khana LGAs between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday, 2nd June 2016. The security agencies have been directed to enforce this ban and ensure full compliance,” Wike said in a broadcast.
“I call on Rivers people, particularly the people of Ogoni land, to come out in great numbers and give our amiable President a rousing welcome during his visit.”
“It is historic because it marks his first official visit to the state since assuming office as the President of this great nation. It is most significant because Mr. President is not on a political mission, but to kick-start the largest environmental clean-up in our nation’s history, for which Rivers people, and indeed the Niger Delta, will remain grateful.
“I call on Rivers people to be peaceful, law-abiding and demonstrate the traditional Rivers hospitality towards Mr. President and his distinguished entourage throughout the visit. As I have noted earlier, Mr. President is here as the father of the nation, who cares about the environmental and developmental challenges that we face as one of his primary constituencies.
“Accordingly, his presence in Rivers State is not an occasion for political campaigns by anybody or political party. Rather, it is an occasion and an opportunity for us to demonstrate unity of purpose and our readiness to work together with Mr. President to move Rivers State,” Wike said.
