Date: 2014-07-04

Today (Thursday), I had the opportunity to meet with a staff delegation from the Hydro-Carbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP), led by Dr Sam Okedi, the Head of the Water Unit. Many of the individuals in the delegation, are highly skilled Nigerian professionals whose dedication to reviving communities that have been hardest hit by the negative effects of oil exploration and oil spills is unquestionable.

As it stands, since January 2013, the more than 140 staff of HYPREP - a unit that the Federal Government set up to carryout assessment and evaluate hydrocarbon-impacted sites and make appropriate recommendations for reviving the environment to livable conditions - have not been paid. What this means is that for over 18-months, government officials tasked with such a crucial job have not received their due salaries and other compensation as contained under their terms of engagement.

At a time when it is hard enough for the average Nigerian to get by without the wages gotten from stable employment, these professionals - many of whom left other promising careers to serve their nation, have been neglected by their government for a year and a half; they feel like no one is listening to them.

When the idea of HYPREP first came to my attention in 2011, I remember maintaining that a program of such pivotal importance must be set-up using best practices and international standards - namely, setting it up as a standalone agency through an Act of the National Assembly. Doing such would have enabled HYPREP to tap into statutory allocations to fund its much-needed initiatives and be supervised by the Ministry of Environment. As I have said on numerous occasions, Nigeria must think long-term and build strong institutions and institutionary practices in order to move forward with the international community.

Unfortunately, the executive branch of our Federal Government - the main people that should be interested in preserving the future of our environment for our children and livelihood, are more interested in oil production and its proceeds. Because of this, the issue of the environment is not being appropriately tackled and individuals that have been ever-ready to take up the mantle of protecting our environment are being made sacrificial lambs by not being paid their due wages. This is unjust and unacceptable, and this development is not only inexcusable, it is beyond shameful.

In my serving-capacity as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, in no uncertain terms, I urge the Minister for Petroleum to address the concerns of the HYPREP staff at once.

In a similar regard, my colleagues on the Environment and Ecology committee have resolved on these developments, to ensure that these noble men and women are not left abandoned by their government and by extension, the government officials who are saddled with the responsibility of looking into their dues and welfare.

I will also begin looking into ways of ensuring that organizations tasked with duties such as HYPREP, should have people that are committed to sustaining the environment – and not people that are interested in petroleum products and its proceeds.

We have to do better. We have to be better. By the grace of Almighty Allah, who gives power to the work of our hands, we will do better and in time, we will be better.

Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki (CON)