Ogoni Clean-up: MOSOP protests attempt to appoint HYPREP manager

Ogoni umbrella pressure group, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) says it has uncovered an alleged plot by some politicians to blackmail the Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed into appointing a political party loyalist into the position of the Project Manager/Secretary to the governing council of the  Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the implementation agency for the much-awaited Ogoni cleanup.

According to Fegalo Nsuke, MOSOP’s publicity secretary, a “very highly placed source revealed that, part of the reason for the delay in naming a project manager for the Ogoni cleanup program, is to cause apprehension within the Ogoni populace who are anxious to see the commencement of the cleanup programme.”

MOSOP alleged that, “the calculation of the master schemers is that the delay will mitigate any protest against the appointment of a party loyalist to manage the programme, as the agitated Ogoni public will be compelled to accept whoever is eventually appointed for the position.”

Since June 2, when President Muhammadu Buhari (though was represented by Vice President, Yemi Osibajo) visited Ogoni to unveil the Federal Government’s first practical effort to undertake Ogoni cleanup, the issue of appointing a project manager for the HYPREP, which would supervise the exercise, has been a matter of conjecture.

The delay has, no doubt been worrisome to the Ogonis and other stakeholders, who see it as part of the government unseriousness, or schemes to undermine the cleanup’s full trot.

Meanwhile, the Ogoni body, MOSOP has stressed that its position on the appointment of a project manager has not changed – “that we will not accept party considerations in the choice of who becomes the project manager for HYPREP.”

It noted that “the progress made to ensure a clean and safe environment for Ogoni people has cost the lives of some of our very best men including Ken Saro-Wiwa, Chief Edward Kobani, Edward Badey, Theophilus. Orage, Chief S.N. Orage, Dr. Barinem KKiobel, Rev. John Kpuinen and over 2,000 others.”

“We therefore insist that our input is cardinal in the appointment of a trusted, competent and non-partisan Project Manager/Secretary for the Governing Council of HYPREP.  MOSOP will not compromise on this issue, which bothers on the integrity of a key and top manager of the Ogoni cleanup.  MOSOP stands firmly against the use of Ogoni cleanup funds to compensate party loyalists; and urge all decision-makers in this process to live above board, and be guided by the expectations of Ogoni people for a clean environment achievable through an honest process, the group stated.

It urged the Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, to tread cautiously, and be guided by the collective position of the Ogoni people; and not by the conservative wishes of party men and women.