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.
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:
“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.”
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. 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.