* Nigerian House of Representatives chamber
By Pathfinder Reporter
Monday August 26, 2024
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The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has lashed out at the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities over its recent support and commendation for the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
MOSOP says the House committee position compromised the truth and smacked a disappointment from a people whose obligation is to stand for the people.
President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke while commenting on a recent visit of the house committee to Ogoni and the committee commendation of the Ogoni cleanup said the House demonstrated a high level of ignorance and compromised the truth about the Ogoni cleanup failures.
“It is on record that the Ogoni cleanup exercise has received over N1 Trillion in the past 7years and nothing to show for it. The 2024 budget of HYPREP is N400 Billion. That is the budget of two Nigerian states put together. What have they got to show for it? Nothing!” he said
The House Committee in their remarks said they visited various project sites including the barricaded remediation site in Ogale, Eleme, the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, CEER, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, Bori Cottage Hospital, Bori Water Scheme, Shoreline Remediation and Mangrove Restoration sites in Bomu, Gokana Local Government Area, and while at the Mangrove Restoration site in Bomu, members of the committee also historically planted mangroves seedlings. But the MOSOP President questioned if that is what over N1 Trillion has done in the past eight years.
“They have spent over 1 Trillion and Ogoni does not have water. Instead of addressing the critical issues, they are busy seeking avenues to cover their loots. They have not provided water but they are funding frivolous exercises. Their work was to remediate Ogoni and not to be making frivolous expenses on house committee visits” he said.
According to Nsuke, performance assessments are not done vaguely; they are done in relation to the amount of resources expended. HYPREP cannot spend over N1 Trillion and Ogoni will still be polluted.
“When you consider the past seven (7) years’ expenditure of HYPREP, then you will appreciate how much damage HYPREP has done to the Ogoni society. Ove 1 Trillion has been spent on remediation work in Ogoni and the people are still talking about pollution without drinkable water, whereas, clean water provision is the first thing that was to be addressed as an emergency” Nsuke said.
Nsuke urged the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities to keep their oversight functions away from Ogoni if they cannot be courageous enough to speak out against the deceit and corruption which are glaring in HYPREP.
“I will advise the House to keep their oversight functions away from Ogoni if all they can do is to look at Ogoni without water and N1 Trillion has been spent and tell us that HYPREP is doing well. If all they can do is to justify the loot that is ongoing in HYPREP, they should please stay away from us”
“I feel deeply sad when I consider the sacrifices of the Ogoni people and what all the efforts have turned into. But all hope is not lost. We are approaching a situation where the people will have to come out to demand accountability and end the corruption in HYPREP”
“HYPREP is overstepping its bounds. They are testing the people and we are getting to the point where we will get them to account. We have warned them to and we hope they listen” he said.
Recall that the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities had recently commended the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project over the cleanup of Ogoni. The House commendation was coming seven years after the Nigerian government launched the Ogoni cleanup programme.
* Disowns call for protest over East-West Road
Meanwhile, the attention of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has been drawn to media reports credited to one Oscar Imeabe threatening to cause a civil crisis over the on-going East-West Road project.
MOSOP wants to make it unequivocally clear that Mr Oscar Imeabe is not its publicity secretary as claimed in the reports.
MOSOP will further state that the general public should discountenance all statements emanating from Oscar Imeabe as it does not represent the position of MOSOP on any issue whatsoever.
MOSOP is saddened that some few individuals have commercialized the gains of the Ogoni struggles of over three decades, masquerading in the name of MOSOP and using threats to force companies and government agencies to make compromises in their favour.
We denounce this greedy, selfish and fraudulent practices championed by mosop merchants and urge the general public to discountenance the aforementioned statement.
For the information of the general public, MOSOP wishes to state that its secretariat has not issued any statement of threat over the East-West Road project.
While we have issues with the handling of the East-West Road project, we strongly believe in constructive engagement and have not contemplated calling out Ogonis for a public protest over the project.
Mr Oscar Imeabe is not the Publicity Secretary of MOSOP and it is our instruction therefore, that all statements from him or any other individual should be discountenanced.
We should further state that following the national executive elections of MOSOP which took place in 2018 culminating in the election of Mr Fegalo Nsuke as president of MOSOP on December 19, 2018, the outcome of that election was challenged at the federal and state high courts and are still pending before various courts of competent jurisdiction.
Consequently, the Central Committee of MOSOP, being the highest decison-making organ of the organization empowered by its constitution had in December 2021 met and unanimously decided that all further actions regarding elections be put on hold pending the determination of on-going court cases.
MOSOP expects all parties to maintain the status quo and not form illegal splinter groups such as the ones peddled by Engr Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu, Oscar Imeabe and others.
We will insist that if an election is challenged, the winner remains in office until the court decides on legal challenges.
This happens even in the election of the Nigerian President where the election tribunal, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court will make pronouncements while the elected president remains in office.
The formation of splinter groups is disrespectful of the courts and illegal. MOSOP therefore urge the promoters of splinter groups to desist from further encouraging indecency and illegality in our society.
We therefore urge the general public to disregard all statements from Oscar Oscar Imeabe as he does not in any way represent MOSOP.
Signed:
Alex Akori
Secretary-General,
MOSOP.
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