HYPREP: Ogoni Youths Protest Against High-handedness . . . Demand Compliance With Local Content Law
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by Oyagiri Chime-emeleSome youths of Ogoniland in Rivers State have protested against alleged insensitivity and high handedness by the handlers of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to their plights.
The Youths in their hundreds , staged the protest in Bomu Community, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers, Sunday, February 25, 2024.
They decried the total neglect of the community’s constituted leadership, hinting that the HYPREP handlers rather created alternate leadership.
BochNews learnt that the youths, males and females, came out as early as 9.00am in the morning to protest what they termed as ‘high handedness’ on the part of HYPREP, they accused it of conniving with some elite in the community against their interests.
The youths demanded compliance with the Local Content Law, urging HYPREP and its contractors to show transparency in the employment and award of sub-contracts.
They further alleged that certain elite have received over seventy five million naira from HYPREP and embezzled, claiming that the money belonged to the community and was paid into the private bank account of a certain “Chief” in the community.
In an interview with a Community Leader, Chief Roland Oku said; “I decry the poor handling of the Clean-Up in Bomu and the fact that HYPREP decides to bypass existing legal leadership structure in the community and relate with whomever they like.
The Bomu Royal Family Prince urged the aggrieved youths to maintain the peace while efforts are being made to reach out to the authorities concerned.
