There are indications that the federal government through its agency The Hydro-Carbon Pollution Restoration Agency (HYPREP) may have dumped the UNEP report on Ogoniland to pursue its own agenda in Ogoniland. Nearly two years after the release of the report and over one year after the establishment of HYPREP, no reasonable action has been taken to address fundamental issues of cleaning the area.
One source reveal that the determination of the Ogoni people to closely monitor the activities of HYPREP and ensure that it is not used as a cover to bring back Shell may be frustrating the government’s grand plan and this could be responsible for the slow-down in the clean-up process. Another source reveal that the present leadership of HYPREP may not be trusted with the management of the $1billion recommended for the Ogoniland clean-up.
A media report alleges monumental corruption in HYPREP including certificate forgery and non-commitment to the implementation of the UNEP report. The report speaks of lack of trust, fraud, and non-commitment to the Ogoni clean-up.
The situation remain uncertain even as HYPREP boss Joy Nunieh Okunu has raised an alarm of the growing rate of surface and underground water contamination in the area. Health risks are on the increase and there is no hope for a possible end to the environmental problem in Ogoniland.
Independent sources in Ogoni reveal that the Shell Petroleum Development Company’s involvement in the exercise is worsening the matter. Shell had been severally accused of covering-up pollusion sites. A high-class chief and Gberemene of Gokana, King Barnabas Bagia had accused Shell of cover-up in Ogoni. Shell has recently said remediation in parts of Ogoni will be completed by December 2013.
The Ogoni clean-up it was learnt may have suffered some set-back as the Ogonis continue to resist moves by Shell to use the cover of HYPREP to resume activities in the oilfields it abandoned since 1993. In December 2012, soldiers were used to disperse youths protesting Shell’s presence in Ebubu, Eleme.
MOSOP has expressed concern about the situation saying the involvement of soldiers could endanger the lives of civilians. MOSOP also wondered how Shell, whom the UNEP report acknowledged failed to maintain even their poor standards could be the company to conduct or supervise the Ogoni clean-up.
MOSOP spokesman and Chairman of the Kingdom Coordinators Forum, Frank Jonah says “Shell is not credible enough to clean Ogoniland. Shell lacks the credibility to clean Ogoniland in the present circumstance; they have denied any wrong doing in Ogoni until the UNEP report was released. It is unfortunate that Shell came into Ogoni in the first place. Shell thrives on lies and deceit and nobody in Ogoni trusts them. Besides, they are a public enemy in Ogoni having been declared persona-non-grata in 1993 and their presence has the capacity to cause conflicts. We urge them to stay clear of Ogoni and contract the clean-up to a credible organization with capacity and credibility with the supervision of UNEP”, Frank Jonah said yesterday.
Source: OgoniNews