Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, risks arrest if he fails to appear before the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
Chairman of the Committee, Aliyu Wadada Ahmed, issued the warning, yesterday, after the coordinator failed to honour invitations for the seventh consecutive time.
HYPREP had disclosed in November 2023 that $360 million had been released for the clean-up of Ogoni land, but the coordinator has yet to provide the Senate with detailed explanations.
Threatening to invoke legislative powers to compel him to appear before the committee, Wadada said: “The Senate Public Accounts Committee, pursuant to its constitutional and legislative powers of ensuring value for money, anchored on the principles of transparency, efficiency, and accountability, commenced an inquiry into the Ogoniland cleanup.
“Despite several invitations to HYPREP, the coordinator has persistently refused to honour legislative requests, delaying meetings and failing to appear for the seventh time today.”
The committee is seeking clarity on the utilisation of appropriated funds, including the $360 million clean-up fund, N6.6 billion allocated in 2023 for undocumented sites, and tax remittances from 2022 to 2024. It also requested a report on the current state of the Ogoni clean-up.
“In the spirit of liberality, the committee resolves to give up to February 4, 2025, for the coordinator to appear or risk activation of relevant constitutional provisions to compel his appearance,” Senator Wadada warned.
The chairman highlighted that the coordinator previously failed to appear on December 18, 2023; January 15, 2024; January 28, 2024; February 28, 2024; March 5, 2024; May 22, 2024; and January 28, 2025.
Wadada emphasised the Senate’s commitment to transparency and accountability in addressing the long-delayed Ogoni clean-up project.