Tina Amanda
Chairman Ogoni Council of Traditional Rulers, Rivers state, His Royal Highness Suanu Baridam, have urged Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to follow due process to avoid aggravating further agitations that will hinder the smooth execution of the Ogoni clean-up exercise.
His Royal Highness Baridan who is also the Gbenemene Bangha stated this while fielding questions from our reporter Tina Amanda, added that HYPREP should endeavour to consult Ogoni Traditional Rulers, youths and Ogoni people to sensitize them about the clean-up.
He also encouraged HYPREP to ensure that necessary provisions are on ground before the clean-up proper.
“There are processes HYPREP is supposed to have done before coming to the issue of the clean up proper. As a matter of fact, HYPREP is going through a wrong process by not providing what they are suppose to provide. We have spoken to the HYPREP coordinator severally, and he is trying to ensure that things are done properly.
“There have been some medical aspect that is yet to be fully done and the issue of water which they are also on it, but we were expecting that such things should have come first before the clean up.
“If HYPREP have not provided water and they placed a signpost for Ogoni people not to drink water, it means that the same polluted water is what the people are still drinking‘’
He also condemned the incident where some Ogoni youths burned down a HYPREP bus and urged them to synergize for successful.
“We have started talking to our Ogoni youth to ensure such incident never repeats itself. We are also telling them to take things easy and that they should carry out proper consultation with their youth leaders before getting into issues of violence.
“We have called for a meeting with the Ogoni youths presidents and I believe by the end the day such violent action will not arise again”
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