Tina Amanda
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, has stated that the incident which led to the burning of a bus belonging to the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Programme, HYPREP, was as a result of government inability to come to terms with the Ogoni people on issues of the clean-up exercise.
A statement by Feghalo Nsuke, the president, said Ogoni people must be carried along on every stage including the rights to select contractors acceptable to them and in line with their local content laws which requires robust engagement to come up with a comprehensive plan on the development and cleaning the pollution.
According to the statement, “the conduct of HYPREP in the implementation of the cleanup process has completely alienated the people and focused on monetary benefits rather than the Ogoni interests”
Nsuke said although the incident was a tragedy, he stressed that the Federal Government and HYPREP must realize that in order for the cleanup exercise to be successful, they must engage the Ogoni people from the beginning to the end.
He said: “They must select a contractor who will not be bias and who understands the UNEP requirements in full and the total needs of the Ogoni people.
“We must design a comprehensive plan and program that will include: oil spill cleanup, infrastructure building, installation of potable drinking water, economic development, healthcare, education”
The statement continued that ”rather than address these fundamental needs, the government has been desperate to award contracts ahead of the 2019 elections.
“It is unfortunate that the selection of contractors has been more like political patronages, a situation where some of those selected as contractors do not even know the road leading to Ogoni”.
Nsuke alleged that, “The conduct of HYPREP in the implementation of the cleanup process has completely alienated the people and focused on private and monetary benefits rather than Ogoni interests.
“For instance, over one billion Naira had been spent on communication, yet the local people do not know what HYPREP is doing in Ogoni. Wouldn’t it have been better to invest such huge amount on water provision for the people?”
He regretted that the government failed to heed the advice of MOSOP on the need for integrity and diligence in the implementation process.
The statement further condemned the incident which led to the burning of a HYPREP’s bus, adding that it is a clear indication that the Ogoni people are dissatisfied with the government over the cleanup implementation and if the issues are not properly addressed by involving the people in every phase, there could be stronger resistance from the communities.
Recall that some youths from Gokana clashed with officials of HYPREP and some contractors engaged for the cleanup exercise which led to the burning of the bus which was used to convey journalists to the site.
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