Stakeholders and industry regulators have reiterated their continued commitment and support to the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) towards a successful clean-up programme in Ogoniland, while commending the Project for the milestones achieved across its thematic areas of remediation(Land, shoreline), mangrove restoration, potable water, Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER), Ogoni Specialist Hospital, Buan Cottage Hospital, Ogoni Power Project and livelihood programmes.
In their separate goodwill messages at the 3rd Quarterly Key Stakeholders and Regulators held in Port Harcourt, Tuesday, the participants urged HYPREP to prioritize measures to prevent repollution of already remediated sites including providing alternative livelihood to dissuade artisanal refining and the even distribution of social amenities in the region.
Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, who was represented at the event by Professor Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director, Technical Services, said the engagement with key stakeholders and regulators demonstrated HYPREP’s commitment to transparency and collaborative partnership for effective project delivery, adding that the Project remains an ‘open book’. He stressed that such a platform provides the opportunity for a cursory review of project performance through interventions and submissions from participants necessary for successful project implementation while expressing gratitude to the stakeholders and regulators for their continuous support for the Project.
Professor Zabbey informed that the Project is cautious of the need to stem pollution and has designed specific livelihood training for ex-artisanal refiners as it rolls out an additional high-skill livelihood program for 5000 Ogoni women and youths.
The highlight of the engagement was the presentation of the Project Status Report, which saw the Project make significant progress across its projects, including the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which has hit 68% from 60.8% recorded in July, and the Buan Cottage Hospital scaling 72% against 65% in July.
The meeting had in attendance participants from the Federal and State Ministries of Environment, NOSDRA, NUPRC, SPDC JV, RSU, Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Centre for Human Right and Development (CEHRD), Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) and Society for Women and Youth Affairs (SWAYA)
