The Forum of Media and Civil Society Organisations (FMCSOs) has threatened to drag the Coordinator, Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP), Dr Marvin Dekil to court to seek redress if he refuses to do the needful in the speedy implementation of the on-going clean-up in Ogoniland and other polluted sites in Rivers State and the Niger Delta region.
The NGOs made the call last Monday in Port Harcourt as they converged to discuss issues around the slow pace of implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report recommendations under the auspices of the Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action, Nigeria).
They expressed serious concern over the slow pace of implementation of the clean-up process, adding that steps taken by HYPREP were not encouraging, and insisted that HYPREP must include all stakeholders in the activities to ensure transparency and accountability.
Speaking exclusively to The Tide shortly after the roundtable interactive session, Head, National Advocacy Centre, Vivian Bellonwu said that studies by Social Action revealed that activities around the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP)has been shrouded in secrecy, obscure procedures and utopian mechanisms that have not helped in shoring up citizens’ confidence in the process.
Bellonwu added that despite attempts by governments to clean-up, and indeed, remediate the polluted Ogoni environment in line with the UNEP report recommendations, the HYPREP leadership appears to be sabotaging the efforts of governments and betraying the confidence of the people of Ogoni.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
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