President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni people (MOSOP), Fegalo Nsuke, has described the management of the Hydro Carbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) as highly corrupt and deceitful. In two separate speeches on Sunday, February 24, 2019, the MOSOP president discredited the cleanup programme describing it as a scam and desperate move to enrich individuals and not address the concerns of the Ogoni environment

Speaking at the palace of Gbene Ginikabor IV, the paramount ruler of Gbenekabor in Korokoro, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chief Akpobari Loveday Nkorba, Nsuke described the cleanup programme as HYPREP’s attempt to cover up the massive mismanagement and financial corruption which has characterised the agency’s work in Ogoniland. Nsuke said HYPREP was not implementing the cleanup programme as recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). He dismissed HYPREP as a corrupt organisation only concerned about the funds meant for the cleanup programme.

Also speaking in Mogho, Gokana Local Government Area where he addressed a congress of the Gokkana people, the MOSOP President told the Gokana people that HYPREP has failed every transparency test regarding financial prudence and openness. He said the secrecy with which HYPREP conducts its business coupled with their disregard for community inputs in the implementation program were signs pointing to the failure of the programme.

Nsuke maintained that the UNEP Report cannot be implemented without the provision of clean water for the Ogoni people. “HYPREPs disregard for our demands for water is unacceptable because the Nigerian government and Shell polluted the water and they have the responsibility to give us good water in place,” he said.

Nsuke also said: “It is important for HYPREP to tell us how they intend to deal with the contaminated soil especially how and where they will treat the contamination. They have failed to put in place an integrated soil management center and the center of excellence as recommended by UNEP and instead HYPREP is only concerned about contract awards because that is an easy way to enrich individuals.”

“There are,” Nsuke said, “few critical recommendations of UNEP we want to see implemented and HYPREP must deal with those issues to build our confidence in the process.” He named the recommendations to include:

1. Water provision for Ogoni must be treated as an emergency which it is.

2. The waste management system as recommended by the report must be in place for us to be sure of how HYPREP intends to deal with contaminated soil.

3 The Center of Excellence should be built to provide training environment and technical support base for the implementation.

The MOSOP President also described the selection and mobilisation of contractors for the Ogoni cleanup as a desperate attempt to self-enrichment rather than a commitment to clean Ogoniland. Nsuke urged the Gokana people to be vigilant as the contractors are only interested in how much money they can make and not to cleanup Ogoniland.

•Fegalo Nsuke (center) during the visit to Chief Akpobari Loveday Nkorba, Mene Gbene Ginikabor IV of Korokoro, Rivers State

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