By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Oil and non-oil bearing communities in Ogoni have called on the Federal Government to dissolve Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Programme (HYPREP) board.
The host communities said this at a meeting held by their representatives under the aegis of Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI).
President of OLI, Douglas Fabeke, who spoke at the meeting, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to halt further payment to HYPREP, alleging that the agency had misused the billions of naira released for the clean up.
He said: “Ever since the establishment of HYPREP, there is no single UNEP report recommendation that has been effectively implemented. All the impacted sites are still as it were.
“There is no provision of portable drinking water after decades of pollution of Ogoni source of drinking water; no central office of HYPREP in Ogoniland to enable the people have access and be abreast with the activities and programs of HYPREP.”
The host communities said they had given approval through the OLI to one of the multinational oil and gas companies to develop gas plant, refinery, as well as other related infrastructural facilities in Ogoniland.
Fabeke also urged that Ogonis should be compensated for decades of unpleasant environmental pollution they had suffered, as a result of oil exploitation in their areas.
They have also insisted that the “unjust and illegal” verdict that led to the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others, should be reversed for possible exoneration.
They resolved: “Adequate compensation should be paid to the Ogoni people for the sufferings, death of love ones and contamination of our environment resulting from the decades of unpleasant method and manner of oil and gas exploration and exploitation in the area with its attendant atrocities.
“Adopt the Report of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Right on Ogoni Case.
“The unjust and illegal verdict that led to the killing of late Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others should be reversed for possible exoneration.”