MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT INAUGURATES HYPREP CRAC, URGES PEACEBUILDING AND EXPECTATION MANAGEMENT
In a bid to continue to maintain community stacks, stakeholder inclusion and a congenial atmosphere in the Ogoni Cleanup Programme, the Honourable Minister of Environment and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, yesterday, inaugurated the newly constituted members of the Central Representative Advisory Committee (CRAC), urging them to focus on peacebuilding in the region and help manage expectation.
Speaking at the event at the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja, Minister Lawal charged members to promote harmony in project communities and ensure smooth, uninterrupted implementation, while attributing the harmonious atmosphere to CRAC’s contributions and describing CRAC as a critical part of the Ogoni Cleanup Project.
He noted that the Project is people-centred, which informs its decision to implement projects, programmes and policies that have direct benefits for the Ogoni people, especially job creation, skills acquisition and other sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The Minister stated that the members of the Committee are persons with proven track records of community service, passion, and commitment to the Ogoni Cleanup Project, and urged them to use their offices to foster robust stakeholder engagement, buy-in, and community support for the Project.
To ensure that the Committee delivers on its mandate, the Minister stressed the need to involve them in project operations related to community engagement, while reiterating that the Project will continue to plan with communities to ensure effective project delivery.
Similarly, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator and Chairman of CRAC, has assured that the Project will continue to raise the bar in the performance of Committee members through capacity building in arbitration and mediation. He noted that the training of members of CRAC and other community leaders in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has significantly contributed to stabilizing Ogoni and largely reduced the number of litigations, while commending the Honourable Minister for the choice of members.
In their submissions, Rt. Hon. Emma. Deeyah, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, charged members of CRAC to see their appointments as a call to service delivery, while HRM King (Dr) Suanu T.Y Baridam, Gbenemene of Ancient Bangha Kingdom, Khana LGA, commended the Hon. Minister for the appointments and assured that members will uphold the confidence reposed in them. For Engr Ehioze Igbinowanhia, the Renaissance African Energy Company Project Support Lead, international oil companies (IOCs) will continue to ensure that the Ogoni Cleanup Programme delivers lasting impact, adding that the Project’s progress depends on collaboration, accountability and mutual respect.
Also speaking, a member of the Committee, High Chief Nengi James, assured of Civil Society Organisations’ (CSOs’) support for the Project.
In his submission at the event, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr Salihu Aminu Usman, said that the success of the Ogoni Cleanup Programme is in the confidence it has restored in the hearts of the people and enjoined the Committee to engender confidence-building and collective bargaining to gain stakeholders’ trust and support for the Project.
The highlight of the programme was the unveiling of the HYPREP handbook on contract-community relations, titled “Guidelines on Contract Administration, Community Engagement and Conflict Resolution”.
The inauguration of CRAC is in accordance with Paragraph 24 of the HYPREP establishment Gazette. The newly inaugurated CRAC include the following:
1. Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey- Project Coordinator/ Chairman
2. HRM King (Dr) Suanu T.Y Baridam- Member, Khana LGA
3. HRM King (Sir) Samuel Nnee- Member, Tai LGA
4. HRH Chief Emperor J.D. Nkpe- Member, Eleme LGA
5. Chief Keeper Gbaranor- Member, Khana LGA
6. HRH Mene Stephen Kpea-Member, Gokana LGA
7. Rev Jonathan B. Mubana- Member, Gokana LGA
8. Mrs Mary Ndume, DSP (Rtd.)- Member, Tai LGA
9. Alabo High Chief Nengi James OON- Member, Rep of the CSOs
10. High Chief Ngei Chu- Member, Eleme LGA
11. Representative of the Rivers State Government, to be nominated
12. Engr. Ehioze Igbinowanhia-Rep of IOCs, Member
13. Mr Richard Mkpee, Head Stakeholders Engagement Unit- Secretary.
The CRAC plays a critical role in fostering a friendly relationship among HYPREP, communities, and contractors to ensure effective and timely project delivery.
