Senate threatens arrest of HYPREP boss over Ogoni clean-up funds
The Senate Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday resolved to issue a warrant of arrest against the Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, if he fails to appear before it next week Tuesday.
The resolution was announced by the Committee’s Chairman, Senator Ahmed Wadada (SDP, Nasarawa West), following Prof. Zabbey’s failure to honour invitations to appear before the Committee for the seventh consecutive time.
Recall that in November 2023, HYPREP disclosed that $360 million had been released for the clean-up of the polluted Ogoniland in the Niger Delta.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the repeated absence of the HYPREP Coordinator, Senator Wadada stated that the panel would rely on relevant legal provisions to compel his attendance.
“The Senate Public Accounts Committee, pursuant to its constitutional and legislative powers to ensure value for money, anchored on the principles of transparency, efficiency, effectiveness, economy, and accountability, commenced an inquiry into the activities of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project under the Federal Ministry of Environment as it pertains to the Ogoniland clean-up.
“Concerned that several invitations have been sent to HYPREP to provide explanations regarding its submission on the status of its operations, the Committee is troubled by the Coordinator’s persistent refusal, over the past two years, to honour these invitations. This includes repeatedly requesting rescheduling of meetings but failing to attend, culminating in his seventh absence today (Tuesday).”
“These dealings or issues for which the committee is seeking explanations border on the following: Explain why the project coordinator refused to honour the committee’s invitations; give explanations on appropriations for the project and other intervention funds.
We want to know how much has been received from the Federal Government. Details of utilisation of appropriations in the 2022 budget and an additional sum of N6.6bn in 2023 for some undocumented and abandoned sites as well as details of utilisation of 2024 provisions.”
The Project Coordinator is also expected to provide evidence of remittance to the Federal Inland Revenue Service on value-added tax and withholding tax for 2022 to 2024, alongside an update on the current state of the Ogoniland clean-up.
The Committee, “in the spirit of magnanimity,” resolved to allow the Project Coordinator until 4 February 2025 to appear before it. Failure to do so will result in the activation of the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution to compel his appearance.
