Ogoni clean-up will be Nigeria's biggest scam--MOSOP

Fegole Nsuke

Publicity Secretary of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Fegalo Nsuke, has said the Ogoni cleanup would end up as Nigeria's biggest scam if left the way it is presently structured.

Speaking Thursday in Bori, headquarter of Khana local government area, when he met with youth leaders of the National Youth Council of the Ogoni People (NYCOP), Nsuke said HYPREP was desperate to spend money and not bothered about the integrity of the cleanup process and the welfare of the Ogoni people.

"It is absurd that HYPREP is desperate to spend money on the clean-up of Ogoniland just as elections approach without first putting in place the Integrated Soil Management Center which should take care of the wastes from the clean-up process." He said.

The MOSOP spokesman said what HYPREP is doing is to desperately find ways that can allow them spend money meant for the cleanup without concern for the integrity of the process, He said HYPREP is no longer concerned about the fundamental recommendations of the UNEP report which concerns the Ogoni people especially the provision of safe drinking water in Ogoni communities as an emergency measure.

Nsuke warned that the impact of excavation and cleaning of the massive spill situation in Ogoniland would be counter productive without providing alternative sources of water for the people. "HYPREP should be ashamed that up till now, it has been unable to provide water for the Ogoni people and it has spent over USD10million without any positive impact on the people" he said.

Nsuke called for the removal of Shell from the governing council of HYPREP and the Board of trustees as the company (Shell) is still seen by the Ogoni people as a killer and an enemy.