Kelechi Kas
Ogoni Youth Federation has said that the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, is merely playing the ostrich in the clean-up of the contaminated sites in Ogoni land.
Engr Yamaabana Legborsi in a statement to theportcitynews said activities of HYPREP is shrouded in secrecy and lacks transparency, openness and adequate disclosure.
Legborsi who was reacting to statement by the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Dr Marvin Dekil during a stakeholders’ meeting with Ogoni Elected Representatives on the clean-up project that “the commitment is there for all to see as 90 per cent of the workforce of HYPREP is made up of indigenous Ogonis even though it’s a national project”, said those HYPREP conveyed to the site lacked basic knowledge about what they witnessed.
According to Legborsi: “You conveyed people to clean up sites and because they don’t have basic ideas about what they are witnessing, they said they are satisfied by the level and quality of work. But they fail to disclose how they arrived at this conclusion. Not being conversant with the contract terms.
“Such statements are merely attempts at playing to the gallery, playing the ostrich and lack of scientific foundation.
“I think that this project will continue to elicit controversy as long as there is a lack of transparency, openness and adequate disclosure.
“Where is the work plan for this year? why is it not in the public space? Where is the contracting information, name of contractor, experience, cost of the contract, their directors, so that we can lift the veil of incorporation and peer at the directors directly etc?
“where are the KPI for the different contracts. How have the funds been expended so far? have we received value for money?
“We are stakeholders in this process and it rubs the wrong way to deliberately refuse to share important information with all stakeholders,” he said.
