Rivers State youths under the auspices of Ogoni Youths Federation (OYF), have accused the contractors engaged by Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in the ongoing Ogoni clean-up, of underpaying their workers and inadequate compensation to land and crop owners.
OYF in a statement in Port Harcourt yesterday by its Spokesman, Emmanuel Goteh Bie and Secretary-General, Mesua Ntormabari, said its members recently protested at the headquarters of HYPREP in Port Harcourt to register their grievances.
They claimed that the contractors engaged by HYPREP to carry out 100-bed space at Kpite in Tai Local Government of Rivers State failed to pay workers and give compensation to crop and land owners.
They said the workers engaged by HYPREP contractors at the ongoing centre of excellence at Wiyakara community in Khana Local Government were underpaid.
They said: “Ogoni Youth Federation takes responsibility for the protest carried out recently for the reasons of underpayment of workers at the ongoing centre of excellence at Wiyakara community in Khana Local Government by contractors; inadequate compensation to land/crop owners at Kpite in Tai Local Government by the contractor handling the 100-bed space hospital and lack of adherence to corporate social responsibility and local content components by contractors handling HYPREP jobs in Ogoniland.
“We have been advised by Ogoni elders and critical stakeholders to suspend further civil actions and explore alternative means of dispute resolution to achieve the above items stated.
“Ogoni Youth Federation hereby calls off further protest as a means of resolving the above impasse.
That Ogoni Youth Federation distances itself from any contractual transaction with one of the contractors.”
