Tinubu Reconstitutes HYPREP Governing Council, Board of Trustees

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By Nwafor Oji Awala

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a sweeping reconstitution of the Governing Council and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the federal agency tasked with implementing the clean-up of oil-impacted Ogoniland and other contaminated parts of the Niger Delta.

According to a statement issued Monday by Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Minister of Environment will serve as Chairman of the newly reconstituted Council — a position that gives the ministry direct political oversight of HYPREP’s activities.

The appointments reflect a mixture of continuity and change. Loanyie Barituka Victor will represent non-governmental organisations (NGOs) focused on environmental advocacy, while Bright Onyebuchi Jacob and Henry Obiabure will represent Niger Delta communities.

The Ogoni community — at the epicentre of the HYPREP mandate — has two new faces on the Governing Council: Professor Barinedum Michael Nwibere and Barrister Baride Abdul Gwezia. The nine oil-producing states are represented by Gideon Onyebuwa Melfor and Dr Ibikunle Omotehinse.

Four alternate members were also named: Rev. Canon Dr Abraham Olungwe (reappointed) and Engr. Maeba Power Ekpobari for Ogoniland; Joseph Akedesuo and Beauty Warejuowei for the Niger Delta.

On the Board of Trustees, Emmanuel Nwiika Deeyah retains his position as Chairman. Other members include Fred Mbombo Igwe and Dr Fred Barivule Kpakol, representing Ogoni communities and stakeholders; Mrs Dorcas Amos, representing other Niger Delta communities; and Chief Jide Damazio, reappointed to represent environmental NGOs.

Background: The HYREP Mandate and Track Record

HYPREP was established in 2016 by the Federal Government as the key vehicle to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 2011 Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland. The UNEP report documented decades of oil spills, widespread soil and water contamination, and serious public health hazards, concluding that full remediation could take up to 30 years.

Its mission includes clean-up and restoration of polluted sites, provision of potable water, livelihood support programmes, and long-term environmental monitoring. Since inception, HYPREP has awarded multiple remediation contracts, commenced water supply projects in several Ogoni communities, and undertaken skills acquisition schemes.

However, progress has been dogged by criticisms — including allegations of slow project delivery, political interference, under-utilisation of funds, and leadership tussles. Civil society groups have repeatedly demanded greater transparency and faster action, noting that several communities remain without safe drinking water more than a decade after the UNEP report.

Past Council and Board Compositions

Historically, HYPREP’s Governing Council has been a politically sensitive mix of federal appointees, state government representatives, community leaders, and NGOs. Previous boards featured prominent Ogoni figures such as Chief Bebe Okpabi — a vocal advocate for Ogoni interests — whose recent removal has sparked local debate. Supporters of Okpabi argue that replacing an experienced Ogoni voice at a critical juncture could weaken the community’s influence over the clean-up agenda.

Earlier boards also included representatives from oil companies operating in the Niger Delta, though their presence has at times been controversial, with activists questioning potential conflicts of interest.

Political and Environmental Stakes

The reconstitution comes at a time when environmental remediation in the Niger Delta faces both heightened public scrutiny and persistent logistical challenges. For President Tinubu, the appointments offer a chance to reset HYPREP’s leadership, potentially inject new energy into stalled projects, and address community dissatisfaction.

But the move also raises political questions: will the new council balance federal control with community input? Will new appointees have the leverage to push contractors and bureaucrats towards faster results? And can HYPREP finally bridge the trust gap with local residents, who have waited years for tangible improvement?

For Ogoniland — where oil first began to flow in the late 1950s and where resistance to environmental destruction birthed the modern Niger Delta rights movement — the stakes remain deeply personal. The success or failure of HYPREP will not just be measured in hectares of restored land, but in whether generations-long wounds can finally begin to heal.

(c) Prime Heritage Magazine 


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