MOSOP factions in war of words over HYPREP’s governing council

The Legborsi Pyagbara faction of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), says it totally dissociates herself from recent call by the Fegalo Nsuke Faction’s on government to dissolve the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP) and its governance structures, including the Governing Council and the Board of Trustees of the Ogoni Trust Fund.

The faction in a statement made available to theportcitynews said the call was ill-conceived, unpatriotic, selfish, retrogressive and inciting, adding that it should, therefore, be discountenanced by the relevant authorities and the Ogoni people as we do not need such action at the moment.

Fegalo Nsuke had on Friday at a MOSOP general meeting in Gokana, Rivers State called for the dissolution of HYPREP’s governing council.

He explained that HYPREP’s scandal is a test for the government of president Muhammadu Buhari and its claims to fighting corruption in the country.

He commended the federal lawmakers for ordering a restriction on the accounts of HYPREP and urged the legislators to match words with action by following up on the order and ensuring that the Ogoni cleanup thieves are brought to account.

However, Pyagbara’s faction said: “MOSOP believes that what needs to be done at this critical time in the implementation of the very important exercise is for the government to demonstrably commit itself to ensuring absolute security and confidence building in the communities by ensuring that the Project Coordinating Office and the various structures working for the success of the project undertake their respective assignments unhindered.

“HYPREP is working and this can be verified on the ground where work has commenced in some communities. It is imperative, considering the continuous impact and damage on our people and community, to encourage the process and support the activities by cooperating with efforts directed towards the success of the exercise than engaging in or calling for actions that would impede or cause a serious setback to the cleanup project in the area.

“MOSOP feels the pains and understands the plight of the Ogoni people and others, who have suffered all forms of injustice and will never compromise, play to the gallery or sabotage any process and genuine actions aimed at addressing the woes, anguish and aspirations of the people.

“The call for the dissolution of the HYPREP Council is not necessary and capable of inciting the uninformed audience as there were no bases for doing so, if not for a selfish reason and desire to truncate the already started process and progress made so far. Anybody who knows the long road we have travelled thus far to get to where we are today with the creation of HYPREP will not call for its dissolution.

“MOSOP is in no way tolerating and will never support sub-standard or recklessness in the implementation of the project but expects leaders and stakeholders in Ogoni not to allow this opportunity of having our battered environment cleaned to be halted.

“We call on the good people of Ogoni and the general public to beware of pretences, feigned actions and those playing to the gallery all for selfish reasons. We cannot allow a few individuals whose attempt to hijack the project failed woefully to turn around now to blackmail the project through sponsored attacks and frivolous claims. The Governing Council and Board of Trustees are made up of men and women of proven integrity, whose track records stand tall amongst their peers and will never mortgage the project.

“Having started the process, MOSOP is optimistic that the project will succeed, if all hands are on deck, working together sincerely in the interest of our people and community”