The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, was established to deal with the chronic pollution that is undermining human health and economic activity in my native Ogoniland.
I have, on this page and on my YouTube channel, bitterly complained about unscrupulous contractors who take HYPREP for granted.
And I have categorically stated that I am not blaming their misconduct on Mallam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, the current Minister of Environment, or on Professor Nenibari Zabbey, the Ogoni HYPREP Project Coordinator or any of Zabbey’s predecessors.
The Ogoni Peoples’ Assembly, OPA, clearly feels as aggrieved as I do and published, on May l, a call for such contractors to face penalties. Here is an abridged and slightly amended version of the statement issued by Reverend Williams Probel, OPA’s leader, who is also not blaming Zabbey or the current minister:
It is exactly one year today since remediation sites were handed over to contractors on April 27, 2023 at the Palace of HRH Bebe Okpabi at Eleme. About 39 remediation contractors were commissioned to remediate about 39 sites over a two-year period.
Since then only two percent of the contractors have made significant progress…some have even not mobilized to site or shown willingness to execute the project and we can no longer continue to be silent in the face of clear sabotage and their lack of technical capacity.
“We are calling for the revocation of their sureties, performance bonds and APGs within seven days from this publication and for the commencement of a de- qualification and delisting process that will prevent these grossly incompetent contractors from doing any further contracts with HYPREP or any government agency.”
Williams then names the companies he is accusing (I have decided not to) and says that they “are declared persona non grata in Ogoniland and EFCC should as a matter of urgency go after them to recover the 30% mobilization funds given to them for over one year for lack of performance and lack of relevant experience.
This situation is unacceptable! The people and spirit of Ogoni say NO and we will stop at nothing to hunt and haunt them to return the monies to Ogoni trust funds.
This evil to our people and Ogoni must stop forthwith as Ogoni cleanup cannot be allowed to become a failed project and yet another cash cow for incompetent plutocrats who do not have relevant technical experience.
The time is now to expose all failed companies and handpicked contractors from Abuja. We are calling on the Hon. Minister of Environment and the Project Coordinator, who did not play any part in the selection of contractors who have failed to honour their obligations, to immediately recover the N80 billion or so that has been paid to these contractors.
And let us warn that after seven days from this notice, we shall mobilize concerned Ogonis against these companies if the APGs and performance bonds of these dubious companies are not cancelled and revoked and awarded to credible and competent contractors that have track records and evidence of having done similar jobs.
We shall no longer allow any of the failed companies to enter any site again in Ogoniland because after one year it is obvious that they don’t know what to do, despite having collected large sums. OPA, being the largest organisation representing Ogonis at home and abroad, is crying now like that of the voice of John The Baptist in the wilderness and we shall not stop until every kobo is recovered from these failed companies.
“Enough is enough!”
DONU’S WORLD
