Senate panel threatens arrest warrant against HYPREP coordinator over Ogoniland cleanup funds

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has threatened to issue an arrest warrant against the Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Nenibarini Zabbey, to compel him to appear before it.

The committee issued the threat following the refusal of Mr Zabbey, a professor, to appear before its members to explain why the Ogoni land in the Niger Delta area has yet to be cleaned up despite the release of $360 million for the project in 2023.

Chairman of the Committee, Aliyu Wadada, issued the threat during its meeting at the National Assembly.

Mr Wadada, the Nasarawa West senator, said the threat of arrest was because the HYPREP coordinator refused to appear before the committee despite seven separate invitations.

Ogoniland, located in Nigeria’s South-south region, has long suffered from severe oil pollution caused by pipeline leaks, wellhead spills, and illegal oil tapping.

The environmental devastation has led to contaminated water, soil degradation, health crises, and loss of livelihoods among local communities.

Between 2009 and 2011, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) conducted a landmark assessment that revealed alarming levels of hydrocarbon contamination in the region. The report recommended a multi-billion-dollar cleanup effort, leading to the creation of HYPREP as an intervention agency.

Despite the $360 million disbursement in 2023, no visible progress has been made in the restoration of the area.

During the meeting, Mr Wadada, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said the committee was concerned about the status of the clean-up. Still, the project coordinator persistently failed to appear before the lawmakers.

Join the Premium Times WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Open in WhatsApp

He said the committee is “concerned that several invitations had been sent to HYPREP to appear and give explanations to issues arising from its submission on the status of its operations.”

He also said it is “concerned that the project coordinator has persistently, in the course of the last two years, and flagrantly refused to honour legislative invitations to account for its dealings by turning in very late requests for rescheduling of meetings, which he had refused to attend for the 7th time today.”

Committee’s demands

The committee chairperson said its members demand that the HYPREP coordinator provide a detailed breakdown of how the allocated funds have been spent.

He also said his colleagues want explanations on why the project coordinator refused to honour their invitations.

Mr Wadada said his committee members are interested in seeing evidence of remittance to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Value-Added Tax from 2022 to 2024.

He said the committee wants Mr Zabbey to explain or give reasons:

-Why the project coordinator refused to honour the committee’s invitations. Give explanations on appropriations for the project and other intervention funds.

-How much has been received from the federal government. Details of utilisation of appropriations in 2022 budget. An additional sum of N6.6 billion in 2023 for some undocumented contaminated, abandoned sites. Details of uutilisationof 2024 provisions

-Provide evidence of remittance to the Federal Inland Revenue Service on value-added tax and withholding tax for the year 2022 to 2024. General and current state of the Ogoniland cleanup.

READ ALSO: Tinubu pledges justice in Ogoniland as negotiation to restart oil production begins

Mr Wadada, however, directed that the project coordinator appear unfailingly before the committee members next Tuesday to explain the clean-up status.

“However, in the spirit of liberality, the committee resolves to give up to 4th of February, 2025 for the project coordinator to unfailingly appear before it or risks activation of relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution to compel him for the required appearance,” the committee chairperson said.