Sira Numbara
President Bola Tinubu has reinstated Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, as the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
This comes on the heels of agitations and protests by the Movement for The Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), and some youth leaders in Ogoni, Rivers State on Sunday, over the appointment of Dr Olufemi Adekambi, as the HYPREP Project coordinator on July 13, 2024.
Rejecting Dr. Adekambi’s appointment, a 24 hours ultimatum was issued to the Federal Government to reinstate Zabbey.
In a statement signed by MOSOP President, Prof. Olu Wai-Oguso, the body argued that Prof. Zabbey, a non-partisan Ogoni, is highly qualified and dedicated to the role, which focuses on the environmental remediation of Ogoni land based on the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report.
It demanded the immediate reinstatement of Prof. Zabbey to complete his tenure, ensure that HYPREP is not used to settle political scores and allow appointed HYPREP Coordinators to serve their full terms for stability and growth in Ogoni.
MOSOP further threatened to block the new appointee from entering Ogoni and seal the HYPREP office in Port-Harcourt if a non-Ogoni is appointed as HYPREP Coordinator.
Responding, the Federal Government in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Ajuri Ngelale, on Monday, announced Prof. Zabbey’s reinstatement.
According to the statement, the president reached the decision following a performance review of the HYPREP Project Coordinator and concluded that he is fit to discharge his functions following the regulations guiding the execution of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
The statement read that “by the directive of the president, the reinstatement of the HYPREP Project Coordinator takes immediate effect.”