Ogoni group drags HYPREP to EFCC over alleged misappropriation of $366m clean-up funds
Oredola Adeola
Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI) an oil producing community Non-Government Organisation(NGO) has threatened to drag the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) an agency of the Government, before the Economic Financial and Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged mismanagement of $366million remediation funds for the clean of Ogoniland.
Rev. Douglas Fabeke, President of the Ogoni community group made this known in the eight page-document presented at a stakeholders’ meeting with the theme, “Final Declaration,” held in Port Harcourt.
The community group leader revealed that there was nothing tangible to justify the way $366million was expended on the clean-up exercise.
The group however called for a review of the clean-up exercise to ensure effective remediation of oil impacted sites in the area. It promised to approach EFCC for the investigation of the activities of the HYPREP over the clean-up exercise.
Fabeke said, “Dissatisfaction with the High Level of Misappropriation of Ogoni Clean-up Fund by HYPREP: We and the entire Ogoni people express our high level of dissatisfaction with the way and manner the funds meant for the clean-up of the Ogoni environment have been misappropriated by HYPREP.
“Available records show that so far, a total sum of $366 million has been released to HYPREP for the clean-up of the Ogoni environment. The said sum was released to HYPREP through the Ogoni Trust Fund
“However, despite the release of these funds, there is nothing to show and HYPREP has refused to give the Ogoni people upon whose behalf the funds were released, a proper account of how the money has been utilised after several years.
“We, therefore, call on HYPREP to within fourteen days, render a proper account to the Ogoni people otherwise we shall invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other anti-graft agencies to investigate HYPREP,” Fabeke added.
The group further called for the de-commissioning of Shell facilities still visible in Ogoni land, in order to address further degradation of the environment. It also charged the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NDPC) to implement the government’s directive on the Oil Mining License(OML) 11 oil block.
“Decommissioning of Shell Petroleum and Development Company Facilities in Ogoni Land: SPDC oil facilities and assets have been left abandoned and unattended since the year 1993 when SPDC ceased oil operation in Ogoni and their continued presence has continued to cause a great health hazard, environmental and safety risk to the farmers, fishermen and the entire people of Ogoni.
“It is based on the above that the UNEP Report particularly on page 16, specifically recommended that the SPDC should conduct a comprehensive review of its assets in Ogoni land and develop an Asset Integrity Management plan for Ogoni land and decommissioning plan of these assets which plan should be communicated to the Ogoni people.
“However, SPDC has refused and neglected to decommission these assets; neither has it developed any asset integrity management plan on these assets.
The Ogoni Community group called on FG to order SPDC to immediately decommission all her assets in Ogoni land , adding that the oil major has lost the license to operate OML 11.
