The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), recently stormed Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State and handed over an oil spill contaminated site to Centenial Development Company for clean-up.
The visit, which was led by the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Dr. Marvin Dekil, had on the entourage members of the Governing Council of the agency including Prof. Ben Naaneni, Prof. Roseline Konya, Mr. Legbosi Pygbara and human rights activist, Mr. Anyakwe Nsirimovu among other personalities.
HYPREP also organised a town hall meeting at Gokana Local Government secretariat, with the Executive Chairman of the council, Hon Paul Kobani in attendance.
The HYPREP team equally paid a courtesy visit to the Paramount Ruler of Gokana Kingdom, King Festus Babari Paago Bagia at his Giokoo palace, the traditional headquarters of Gokana people. The team also had another town hall meeting with the Governing Council of K-Dere community where the impacted and oil spill contaminated site was handed over to the consultant of Centenial Development Company, Dr. Lawal Lanre, who assured that Ogoni youths would be carried along in the clean-up project.
The Paramount Ruler of Gokana Kingdom, King Bagia accused Ogoni leaders of lacking the political will to implement the UNEP Report to the letter and demanded that major part of the remediation job should be awarded to stakeholders of the kingdom and that the security architecture of the project should be discussed with all the traditional council members so that it can reflect the interest of all communities and assured that the council would be committed to ensuring that the project was completed.
Speaking at the event, HYPREP’s Project Coordinator, Dr. Marvin Dekil disclosed that there were six sites to be cleaned up in the local government and sued for patience and support from the Ogoni people.
It was only Lot 13 that was, however, handed over to the contractor in K-Dere community
The visibly elated council chairman, Hon Paul Kobani said HYPREP had shown that the clean-up exercise was real and appealed to the people to support the project.
On his part, member representing Gokana Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Dumle Maol expressed displeasure over what the contractors are doing in the local government, saying they were expected to be on sites since last year but indicated that the project should maximally benefit the people.
While appealing to HYPREP to lift the ban on prequalification, the lawmaker urged the people of the area to support the agency to succeed.
A member of the HYPREP’s Governing Council, Prof. Ben Naanen had earlier indicated that the governing council had ensured that the provision of livelihoods goes beyond those involved in artisanal refinery and also benefit the other stakeholders.

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