by Adesina Tosin Nathaniel

The Hydorcarbon Pollution Remediation Programme (HYPREP) which was set up to midwife the cleanup of the Ogoni environment has received knocks and condemnations from civil society organisations in the country.

It was flagged-off  in July 2016 by the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo.

According to Leadership Newspapers, some CSOs led by Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), believe that HYPREP, headed by Dr. Marvin Dekil, has not done anything tangible six years after the presentation of the UNEP report.

While Addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt, Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, condemned the piecemeal approach to the cleanup planning and implementation process by the HYPREP and the snail-pace approach of the federal government that is motion without movement.

He said, “Notwithstanding President Muhammadu Buhari’s seemingly good intentions, there is gross inadequate funding and only US$10 million has been released from the US$200 million pledged by Shell and the Federal Government of Nigeria for the 2017 fiscal year.

“Furthermore, there is no statutory budgetary provision for the cleanup in the 2017 national budget. We condemn in strong terms the piecemeal approach to the cleanup planning and implementation process by the  Hydrocarbon  Pollution Restoration  Project (HYPREP) and the ‘snail-pace’ approach of the federal government that is motion without movement.

He later concluded that “HYPREP should put in place a definite work plan and timeline for the cleanup process through an inclusive planning process that accommodates input from stakeholders”