Niger Delta
Probe HYPREP over Ogoni oil spill clean up _ Niger delta group
The Community Development Committees of Niger Delta Oil and Gas Producing Areas (CDC) have called for a federal investigation into the alleged mismanagement of the Ogoni clean-up by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the agency responsible for the effort. The call follows a report by INDEPENDENT, a UK-based newspaper, which published an article on December 23, 2024, titled “Nigerian Agency ‘Failed Completely’ To Clean Up Oil Damage Despite Funding, Leaked Files Say in Nigeria.” The report revealed that the first phase of a $1 billion project to clean up Ogoniland in the Niger Delta was a “total failure.”
In response, the CDC expressed concern over the findings and called for an immediate probe into HYPREP. The group’s statement, signed by Joseph Ambadekerimo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of CDC, described the situation as deeply disappointing and a reflection of the ongoing corruption undermining the efforts of international agencies. They condemned the unethical actions of those entrusted with the clean-up project, accusing them of exploiting the suffering of local communities for personal gain.
The CDC urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend HYPREP’s leadership and launch an investigation into the agency’s financial dealings. They also called on anti-corruption bodies and the Minister of Environment to investigate the use of substandard laboratories and the hiring of unqualified contractors for the clean-up. The group lamented that despite the public nature of these issues, neither the Ministry of Environment nor anti-corruption agencies had acted until the publication of the INDEPENDENT report.
The CDC expressed concern that the work of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine, who fought for the rights of the Ogoni people, has been undermined. The group questioned whether the people of the Niger Delta truly understood their needs. They called on President Tinubu to take decisive action to address the mismanagement at HYPREP and ensure that future clean-up efforts benefit the Ogoni people and the broader region. They also warned that mismanagement could discourage international organizations from providing further funding for the clean-up of the Niger Delta, and urged a thorough investigation into the companies involved in the project.
