OGONI CLEAN-UP PROGRAMME: HYPREP TO CREATE OVER 1500 JOBS
-Skills Training to Benefit over 2000 Ogonis, as Project Receives Stakeholders’ Commendation.
Following wide commendations from stakeholders on what they have described as a sterling performance of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) under the watch of Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator, the Project is hinting of more benefits to the Ogoni people in 2026, including creating over 1500 direct jobs from the next phase of mangrove and shoreline projects and an additional 2000 youths and women who will be beneficiaries of the 10 demand-driven, and 5 special skills for persons with special needs.
Prof Zabbey made this disclosure last Friday in Port Harcourt at the Project Review Meeting with Key Ogoni Stakeholders, an accountability and scorecard interface, one the PC notes is crucial to the overall success of HYPREP, ” as it provides a platform for accountability, constructive feedback, and learning, enabling the Project Coordination Office to identify gaps and make necessary improvements”
Presenting the Project’s scorecard between July and December 2025, the PC highlighted the following significant milestone achievements, while acknowledging the support of stakeholders. They are:
- Remediation Activities at Impacted Sites:
i. Phase 1 Shoreline Remediation has reached 72,7% Completion
ii. Mangrove Restoration is at 99%
iii. Soil and Groundwater remediation of Medium-Risk Complex Sites has reached 39,01% - Provision of Potable Water to Communities
i. Completion of 16 water facilities with accompanying booster stations,
ii. Supplying water to 42 Communities across Ogoni.
iii. Construction of 29 additional facilities is underway. - Public Health Intervention/ HYPREP Infrastructure Projects
i. The 3-year Ongoing Public Health Studies, conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organisation (WHO), are complemented by other initiatives, including the planned distribution of ambulances to support and improve healthcare services, and strengthening of health facilities and medical outreaches.
ii. Ogoni Specialist Hospital at 78.2%, Buan Cottage Hospital at 98.5% completion
iii. Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) at 93.5% completion, Ogoni Power Project has also reached 61.13% - Livelihood Restoration and Improvement Programmes
i Additional Skills-training activities to commence in January, including cybersecurity, mud lugging, commercial diving, GIS, Mechatronics, and more
ii. Five specialised skills-training programmes for Ogoni persons with disabilities, ensuring inclusivity in project implementation
iii. Education Support Effort, including installation of IT and Solar Equipment in pilot schools,
iv. Distribution of Learning Materials, and the Planned Distribution of an additional 160,000 Exercise Books to Public Primary and Secondary Schools beginning from January 2026.
v. The list of 500 beneficiaries of the BATCH 2 HYPREP Postgraduate Scholarship will be released on January 1st, 2026.
vi. 300 Postgraduate students were awarded scholarships in January this year.
Furthermore, the PC stated that local security initiatives and other critical interventions are also being implemented to enhance the quality of life for the people, adding that the Project has scaled up its stakeholder engagement activities to ensure the public remains fully informed of both progress and challenges.
Regrettably, he informed stakeholders about the unfortunate incidents involving the Gwara and Ebubu Water facilities, noting that the Project sees this as an important lesson both for itself and the Ogoni stakeholders. He mentioned that the Technical Investigation Committee will submit its report this week, informing that the water supply has been restored in Ebubu. At the same time, concerted efforts are being made to restore water to the people of Gwara.
Conversely, the PC pointed out that the Project is addressing the following challenges: community land disputes, threats of re-pollution, vandalism, operational constraints, and other emerging issues with diligence and a deep sense of responsibility to ensure a successful cleanup programme.
He attributed the successes recorded so far to the unflinching commitment of the Hon. Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal and the support of all stakeholders for the Ogoni Cleanup Project.
In further describing the Minister’s commitment to the Ogoni Cleanup as a priority programme under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Prof Zabbey stresses thus:
“He has also affirmed that the Renewed Hope National Agenda is alive and active in Ogoni. This agenda has made the Ogoni clean-up a national priority, effectively placing Ogoni restoration and development at the centre of national discourse and considerations alongside other efforts.
”Most importantly, the agenda seeks holistic and sustainable development of the land and the people, ensuring that environmental restoration goes hand in hand with improved livelihoods, social wellbeing, and a renewed sense of hope for the Ogoni people”
The Project Status Presentation was done by Mr Ifiok Idiyo of the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit of HYPREP. After which, prominent stakeholders in their separate interventions commended HYPREP for the milestone achievement and were united in calling for everyone to support its success.
Among those who spoke were HRM King (Dr) Philip Osaro Obele, the Oneh-Eh-Eleme XI, HRM King (Sir) Samuel Nne, Gbenemene, Tai Kingdom, Distinguished Senator Lee Maeba, Rt. Hon. Emma Deeyah, Chairman, Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated and President of KAGOTE, Chief Mike Baah, Chairman of Gbokabari. Others are Hon. Dr Prince John Bazia, HRH Mene Kadilo Kabari, Natural Ruler of the Ancient Barako Community, Comrade Menele Nzidee and Dr Patience Osaroejiji.
The well-attended event featured an array of eminent Ogoni personalities, who, by their esteemed presence, continued to demonstrate support for the Ogoni Cleanup Programme in a collective quest to ensure the programme not only succeeds but also can be replicated in the clean-up of other parts of Nigeria and beyond.
