PRESIDENT TINUBU COMMITTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, BENEFITS TO OGONI – MINISTER LAWAL
As the Ogoni cleanup programme being implemented by the Hydrocarbon pollution Remediation project [HYPREP] continues to record significant milestones across thematic areas, the Federal government says such gestures further demonstrate President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda to environmental sustainability and ensuring the Project brings benefits to Ogoni .
Hon. Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal made this affirmation last Saturday at the commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water schemes in Khana LGA, in line with HYPREP’s mandate to provide potable water to Ogoni. The latest commissioning brings the water stations to 16, providing access to potable water to 45 Ogoni communities , a development the minister explains as part of Mr President’s commitment to peace ,Environmental justice and socio-economic empowerment in Ogoni, a beacon of hope for communities long affected by Environmental degradation.
Minister Lawal stressed that the latest commissioning is restoring hope and dignity to the communities long deprived of this essential resource .
”The provision of potable water is a critical step towards improving public health ,reducing waterborne diseases and enhancing the overall quality of life. It also signifies a renewed commitment to ensuring that the people of Ogoniland reap the full benefits of environmental remediation efforts.
”We will continue to ensure that communities in Ogoniland have access to clean, safe and sustainable drinking water. With this initiative, we are not just commissioning infrastructure but restoring hope and dignity to the communities long deprived of this essential resource” he added.
While commending Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator of HYPREP, development partners and stakeholders: traditional rulers among others for their relentless commitment towards the actualisation of these projects, he urged communities to protect and take ownership of the projects, emphasising that their longevity and effectiveness depends on collective efforts of maintaining and protecting them for posterity.
In his speech at the event, Prof. Zabbey maintained that HYPREP remains resolute in its resolve to ensure that it completes and delivers all projects initiated within the time frame for the use and benefit of Ogoni people in line with the directives of the Governing Council and under the leadership of the Hon Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal.
To achieve this the PC explained that;
”We continue to work closely with community leaders, youth and women, contractors and other stakeholders to ensure solutions are identified and implementation continues smoothly.
”We remain guided by the principle of partnership, dialogue, transparency and accountability, knowing that sustainable progress is best achieved through collaboration and mutual understanding. That is the hallmark of HYPREP”
He appealed to the people to continue to reinforce peace and understanding, using dialogue as a vital tool for resolving disputes, especially around project sites and within communities, noting that the concurrent implementation of over 100 projects across Ogoni reflects the seriousness and dedication of HYPREP, a momentum that must be sustained through mutual trust and collaboration.
It was an ideal opportunity to provide a Project Status Update to Ogoni people. The PC excitedly announced the following milestone achievements: Environmental Remediation-94% completion in Phase 1 of mangrove restoration, Shoreline at 67.1%. Phase 2 land remediation at 36.55%. Potable Water-14 completed water facilities inaugurated, supplying potable water to 40 Ogoni Communities. The commissioning of the Bane and Gwara Water increases the number of communities with access to clean and safe water to 45.
Others are the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) is 92% complete and the processes of operationalising the Centre has begun with the just concluded colloquium, while the Ogoni Power Project is progressing steadily with wayleave compensation and construction works at Bodo and Wiiyaakara substations ongoing. The Ogoni Specialist Hospital is at 76.8%, with 98.7% achieved in the Buan Cottage Hospital. The Ogoni Public study being conducted by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), over 7000 women and youth have benefited from various employment opportunities, while over 5,000 have been trained in multiple skills and provided start-up skits among other programmes.
Furthermore, the PC informed of the commencement of some demand-driven skills areas this quarter. They are Cybersecurity, Full-stack development, Mud logging, Software development, GIS and Commercial diving.
In their separate goodwill messages, Rt Hon. Dumnamene Deekor, Member Representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, Chairman Great Green Wall, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Deeyah, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ogoni Trust Fund Inc, Permanent Secretary, Mr Nwizug Gordon, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, Representative of the MD/CEO, Renaissance Africa Energy Coy Ltd, Igo Weli, GM, Relations and Sustainable Development, Chief Kenneth Kobani, Former SSG to the Rivers State Government and Professor Roselyn Konya, Former Commissioner for Environment, River State, all commended the Hon. Minister of Environment and HYPREP for their commitment to the Ogoni Cleanup programme.
Earlier the Hon. Minister and his entourage paid a courtesy call on King D.Y Barile, Mene Bua Kenwigbara, where the later was conferred a chieftaincy title of Mene Anua Le Maa 1 of Ken-Khana Kingdom and the PC as Mene doo Letam 1 of Ken-Khana Kingdom. Also decorated were the Chairman, OTY Rt. Hon. Emma Deeyah and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Kambari.
High points of the event was the formal commissioning of the Bane and the Gwara Water facilities by the Hon. Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal and Engr Tony Attah, MD/CEO Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, represented by Mr Igo Weli, the symbolic issuance of Education Support Items and the visit to the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Park for symbolic tree planting by the Hon Minister of Environment, the PC, BoT Chairman, Senator Abe, Igo Weli, DG NEASRA, Prof. Innocent Barikor, and Zina Wiwa, the daughter of the legendary environmentalist and the visit to the CEER.
The event was also graced by the Hon. Minister of Regional Development, Engr Abubakar Momoh and top dignitaries across the Ogoni and beyond.
In two years, the Hon Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal has visited Ogoni 5 times to commission 16 water stations, supplying potable water to 45 Ogoni Communities and ensuring that other projects get equal attention, a clear demonstration of his unflinching commitment to the accelerated implementation of the Ogoni Cleanup Programme in line with Priority 3, Deliverable 3 of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and driven under the visionary and passionate leadership of Professor Nenibarini Zabbey as Project Coordinator.
