By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT: The people of Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State have urged President Bola Tinubu to set up a panel to probe into the activities of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, in order to establish how funds meant for the cleanup of their environment is spent.

The people also decried that they have been sold by self-serving politicians, alleging that the $300 million meant for the development communities of the area is still missing.

Ogoni Liberation Initiative, OYI, which is putting out these claims, however, urged President Bola Tinubu, to take bold step to address the diversion of the funds which have benefited the people of the area.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of OYI, Dr Douglas Fabeke, in a press statement, told President Tinubu that Ogoni people have once again been subjected to grave injustice, fraud, and mismanagement of funds meant for their development and environmental restoration.

Fabeke restated that $300 million, allegedly paid by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) under the former GMD NNPCL MELE KYARI as compensation to the Ogoni people for Oil Mining Lease (OML) 11, was diverted by the previous administration in the Rivers State Government in collaboration with certain individuals claiming to represent Ogoni interest.

He noted that the Leadership of the Ogoni Liberation Initiative was deeply involved in a case that led to the victory of the Federal Government through NNPCL over Shell through the Supreme Court, urging the president to take bold step to recovery the missing funds.

Fabeke said: “Mr. President, we want you to take a bold step to address this issue, because the Ogoni communities have been sold, and you are the only courageous leaders that can redeem us through the power of the Almighty God.

“The former administration of the Rivers State Government had repeatedly claimed that it negotiated and reached a settlement with Ogoni communities regarding this compensation. However, till date, the government has failed to provide any evidence of the communities it engaged, nor has it presented any settlement agreement to support its claims.

“This lack of transparency reinforces our belief that no such settlement ever took place, and the funds have been misappropriated. The New GMD of NNPCL Mr Bayo Ojulari is a man of integrity and transparency, a man of action and vision. I want Mr. President to mandate Him to investigate this case and also check the hand over activities of OML11 of Shell to NNPCL, and what agreement was made on behalf of the Communities.”

Fabeke also noted that HYPREP in charge of the cleanup of Ogoni has mismanaged some funds meant for the project, urging Tinubu to set up a panel to investigate the development.

“In addition to this injustice, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), which was entrusted with the $1billion allocated for the environmental cleanup of Ogoni land, has grossly mismanaged these funds. Despite the passage of time, there is little to no tangible progress in the cleanup efforts. The President should set up an independent investigation into the diversion of these funds, with those responsible held accountable.”