MOSOP Demands Termination of all HYPREP Contracts

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People in the United States of America (MOSOP-USA) has demanded termination of ongoing awards of contracts by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) on the cleanup of Ogoniland.

The demand was contained in a 10-paragraph petition addressed to the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, with the title: “The Looting of $1billion Hyprep Funds: MOSOP-USA Demands Immediate Termination of All Contracts.”

Signatory to the petition were the President, Public Relation Officer and Secretary of MOSOP-USA, Augustine Kpuinen, Samuel Nweemee and Keesiiop Kpooni, respectively.

They alleged that there had been massive looting of HYPREP funds to tune of $1billion, which according to the Ogoni ethnic group, necessitated the petition for the immediate termination of contracts.

The group also noted that they had uncovered plans by the current management of HYPREP to allegedly award projects just few months to the exit of the Mohammadu Buhari-led federal government.

The MOSOP-USA explained: “Less than three months to the expiration of the current Administration, credible sources reveal to us that the current HYPREP board, with active connivance of some political gladiators and gullible Ogoni stakeholders, is in a frenzy busy awarding phantom contracts running into billions of Naira to themselves, cronies, hangers-on and political associates, by either bypassing due process or fast-tracking the awards through the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP).”

They stressed that the intent of the petition was to inform the Minister and HYPREP board that there should be immediate termination of the “phantom contracts” and no bills or payments be made to that effect.

“It has come to the attention of MOSOP-USA that your deed on the awards of phantom contracts in connivance with the HYPREP board to some few individuals from within and outside Ogoni, which they intent to embezzle due to their selfish and self-centered interest and their cronies.

“MOSOP-USA is truly in possession of some very credible evidences, including Court Injunctions confirming that the present HYPREP Board has perfected strategies to loot and empty the account of the agency before the expiration of tenure of the present administration on 29th May, 2023.”

The group, however, warned that it would institute a legal suit against the Minister and the HYPREP Board at the international court if nothing was done to stop the alleged move to further loot the treasury of the interventionist agency.

“If further action other than we have requested occur, then there will be a court suit against you in the Nigeria Court of Justice, including the International Court of Justice.

“This is not a threat, but a promise and an action that has already been established awaiting your reaction to the effect. There is no time to further play on any Ogoni properties,” they added.

The MOSOP-USA however, condemned the shooting of Chief Gani Topba, an Ogoni son, who they said was lying critically in an undisclosed hospital.