Ogoni Diaspora Condemns HYPREP Over Nonfunctional Projects

Ogonis living in the United States have sharply criticized the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) for commissioning nonfunctional projects, accusing the agency of prioritizing publicity and profit over the welfare of communities affected by decades of environmental degradation.

The criticism followed an emergency congress of Ogoni stakeholders held in Chicago, where leaders expressed outrage that the environmental devastation in Ogoniland remains largely unaddressed, despite billions of naira disbursed under the Ogoni Clean-Up Programme.

Chief Anthony Waadah, President of the Ogoni Business Owners in America, said in a statement that infrastructure promised to improve lives has instead become “abandoned shells, rusting pipes, and water systems that supply nothing but empty promises.” He noted that recently inaugurated water projects in Bodo, Uegwere-Boue, Taabaa, and Eteo across Gokana, Khana, and Eleme LGAs are nonfunctional, yet HYPREP continues “parading failure as success.”

“Our people are still drinking poisoned water. Villages remain in darkness without electricity. Women give birth in agony because healthcare facilities are nonfunctional. Yet the government claims progress by cutting ribbons on dead projects. That is not clean-up it is deliberate cruelty,” Waadah said.

The diaspora leaders also opposed the Federal Government’s plans to restart oil production in Ogoniland. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had recently directed the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to collaborate with the NNPC Limited and stakeholders to finalize modalities for resuming operations, while posthumously honoring four Ogoni leaders who died in the struggle for justice.

Waadah described these gestures as “hollow” in light of the persistent humanitarian and environmental crisis. He emphasized that the UNEP Environmental Assessment Report remains the only legitimate roadmap to restoring the land, noting that over a decade after its release, key recommendations, including access to clean water, remediation of polluted lands, functional healthcare, and livelihood support have not been implemented. Life expectancy in Ogoniland remains around 50 years, which he called “evidence of ongoing environmental genocide.”

He demanded a full-scale audit of HYPREP’s operations, insisting that no new project should be commissioned until existing projects are independently verified. The Chicago congress resolved that oil exploration in Ogoniland should remain suspended until the Federal Government fully implements the UNEP report, ensures transparency, engages directly with authentic community representatives, and complies with local content laws.

Waadah further stated that any oil company seeking to operate in Ogoniland must establish its operational headquarters locally and demonstrate tangible development commitments. He assured Ogoni residents that the diaspora stands ready to defend their land through international legal and diplomatic avenues.

“If oppression returns in a new guise, our resistance will rise with the armour of truth,” he declared. “We are peaceful but not passive. Ogoni oil will flow only when justice flows first.”

Reacting, HYPREP’s Head of Communications, Dr. Enuolare Mba-Nwigoh, dismissed claims that the agency’s projects are nonfunctional, listing initiatives in potable water supply, shoreline cleanup, mangrove restoration, healthcare infrastructure, and livelihood projects, while urging critics to verify the scope and impact of ongoing programs.

The future of oil exploration in Ogoniland remains uncertain as diaspora opposition confronts government plans, raising questions about whether development will prioritize profit or justice and environmental rehabilitation.