The House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities has requested increased funding for the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project to finish remaining work on the Ogoni cleanup in Rivers State. The committee, headed by Dumnamene Dekor, made the request following a two-day visit to project sites operated by HYPREP in the region. Dekor said the initial money allocated for the cleanup had been spent and that work had progressed faster than anticipated.
Dekor told reporters that the initial funding was only a starting grant and that significantly more money would be needed to complete the project, particularly for complex sites where work has not yet started. He urged those responsible for providing funds to do so, and called on companies involved in the pollution, including the NNPC and other partners, to increase their contributions beyond what they had previously provided.
The committee has also drafted legislation to expand the cleanup programme to other oil-affected communities across the Niger Delta. According to HYPREP Project Coordinator Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, the agency is managing over 120 project sites covering remediation, shoreline cleanup, water provision, hospital improvements and job creation for Ogoni residents. Zabbey said that over 80 per cent of the sites visited by the committee had reached completion.
The committee's visit gave lawmakers the chance to assess progress firsthand and make recommendations for improvement, Zabbey added.