Indigenous Ogoni Contractors Call for Strategic Collaboration With HYPREP to Strengthen Technical Monitoring Across Ogoniland Projects

 

President, Ogoni indigenous Contractors 

HON Kenule Kukang JP

The Indigenous Contractors of Ogoni have formally requested a collaborative partnership with the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) aimed at improving the technical monitoring and evaluation of projects being executed across Ogoniland.

In a statement issued today in Port Harcourt, the group underscored the urgent need for a more robust, locally driven oversight mechanism that ensures remediation, water, livelihood and infrastructural projects meet required technical standards and reflect the real needs of Ogoni communities.

According to the President of the Indigenous Contractors of Ogoni, Kenule Kukang, the proposal is designed to close existing technical gaps and enhance accountability in project delivery, not to duplicate or undermine HYPREP’s internal structures.

He noted that Ogoni has an extensive pool of competent professionals including engineers, environmental scientists, project managers, surveyors, construction specialists and quality assurance experts whose expertise remains largely untapped despite their proven track record within and outside Nigeria.

“These experts bring not only technical capacity but also local knowledge, familiarity with the environmental terrain, and an understanding of community expectations,” Kukang said. “Their involvement will allow for earlier detection of issues, more grounded assessments, and practical recommendations that strengthen the integrity of HYPREP’s interventions.”

The proposed partnership includes joint monitoring visits, independent technical evaluation reports, and participation in quality assurance reviews across all project categories. The group emphasized that this approach would improve efficiency, reduce wastage, strengthen transparency, and rebuild community confidence in the remediation process.

The Indigenous Contractors of Ogoni also expressed readiness for an engagement meeting with HYPREP to outline modalities and establish frameworks required for implementation.

“Our objective is simple,” the statement concluded. “We want to contribute meaningfully to the success of the remediation and development agenda in Ogoniland. A functional collaboration will ensure projects are not only completed but completed well in ways that are technically sound and genuinely beneficial to our people.”