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The project coordinator of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey has assured that the federal government agency will deliver a sustainable clean-up project in Ogoniland.
The HYPREP project coordinator made the assurance at the weekend, during a courtesy visit of members of the 17th Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt, led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, and the Vice Chancellor, Prof Owunari Georgewill, at the agency headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Addressing the visitors, Prof. Zabbey explained that HYPREP is a project under the Ministry of Environment, charged with responsibility of remediating oil impacted lands and wetlands in Ogoni land and also to restore the livelihoods of the people.
He said so far, the agency has provided potable water to 30 communities, assuring that at the end of this year it will provide clean water for additional 60 communities. “We are also straightening the health care system in Ogoni. We have straightened four hospitals; this year we will add four hospitals”.
Speaking further on their achievements, the project coordinator said “We are building cottage hospital and Ogoni Specialists Hospital. It is important to state that the specialist hospital will have an oncology unit, because the key findings of UNEP is that the Ogoni population has been exposed to casino-genic contaminants from carbon pollution over the years. So, there is the need to monitor them and take them off cancer and cancer related ailments.
“We are also carrying out our environmental remediation and restoration which we divide into three components: shoreline clean-up, soil and ground water remediation and mangrove restoration.”
He said: “For the first time in this region, we are restoring different species of mangroves. Before now, it was usually the red mangrove, but now we are planting red, white and black mangroves. We have also provided knowledge legacy in the Ogoni land and for the general public.
“We are constructing the Ogoni power project and we are constructing the Centre of Excellence for environmental restoration. We have over 100 projects going on in Ogoni at the moment.
“Last year we provided an educational support grant to 250 Ogoni undergraduate students. This year we issued 300 scholarships to 300 post graduate students from Ogoni extraction, 100 are doing PhD, while 200 are doing Masters.”
Noting that the University of Port Harcourt is the technical backbone of the Ogoni cleanup, Prof Zabbey said “We appreciate this visit because it is a major encouragement for the entire team in implementing this project for me and all my colleagues. We appreciate this visit and even the promise to support the bill that will elevate the project to an agency”.
Earlier in his remarks, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, noted the agency’s effort in ensuring the remediation and restoration of the Ogoni land.
Senator Ohuabunwa who represented Abia North Senatorial District at the National Assembly said: “This is a new agency, a child of necessity, but within a short period what we are hearing shows that you are doing well. And we are here to solidarise with you to assure you that as our own we will continue to partner with you”.
He said: “We need a permanent structure like this. When you talk about remediation, it is not only in Rivers or Ogoniland, even in the north we have issues of pollution that require immediate attention in areas of remediation.
“So, if this institution by law is made a permanent agency under the federal ministry of environment, it will be correct to do that. And I think as an alumnus of the national assembly, I will propose that bill and support, because the national assembly.”
He added that the reason for their visit was to congratulate the project coordinator on his appointment, collaborate with him and inform him of the forthcoming 50th anniversary of the university.
In another development, the HYPREP has inducted 100 trainees of its seafaring training at the Charkin Maritime & Offshore Safety Training Ltd, Port Harcourt.
Prof. Zabbey, represented at the induction ceremony by Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi, said the selection process was transparent and the commencement of the training attests to the Project’s commitment to keeping to its promises.
Zabbey added that the choice of Charkin Maritime Academy for the training further confirms HYPREP’s commitment to giving Ogoni youths a better leverage to benefiting from the enormous opportunities the maritime sector offers, urging the trainee to make the most of the training and skills acquired.
