In a significant move that promises to accelerate the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme Report on Ogoniland, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) are strengthening their strategic alliance to drive meaningful change, develop Ogoni, provide sustainable livelihood, and tackle the challenges associated with the clean-up project.
Regional Coordinator of NUPRC Dr. Musa Zagi, made this known while speaking in Port Harcourt at a familiarisation visit to HYPREP’s Project Coordination Office, noting that the collaboration aims to curb any bottleneck to the actualisation of the clean-up project. He notes:
“We want to partner and collaborate with HYPREP to clean-up and restore the environment that has been contaminated by hydrocarbon. We identify HYPREP as one of our key stakeholders, so we want to share your experiences, see that we achieve our common objective of remediating and restoring the environment and foster a good working relationship with the operators and the communities”.
While stressing the importance of community ownership of the project, Dr. Musa urged HYPREP to adopt an eco-friendly approach to remediation, emphasizing the importance of using environmentally sustainable methods to clean up contaminated sites. He warned that traditional remediation methods can sometimes create further environmental problems, such as generating hazardous waste or disrupting ecosystems. By adopting an eco-friendly approach, HYPREP can ensure that its remediation efforts not only restore the environment but also promote long-term sustainability and protect public health.
“We want to urge you to adopt environment friendly approaches to remediating the environment so that we do not create further environmental problems. We need to collaborate on this and any other area necessary that will require our support. We are not here to regulate, we are here to partner and collaborate with you so that at the end of the day, we will succeed”.
Earlier, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Professor Neninbarini Zabbey who was represented by the Director, Technical Services Prof. Damien-Paul Aguiyi, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration with NUPRC, stating that it marked a significant milestone in the cleanup project. The coordinator emphasized that this partnership signals a new spirit of acceleration, rejuvenating the efforts to restore the environment. According to him, by pooling resources, expertise, and knowledge, HYPREP and NUPRC can expedite the cleanup process, tackle challenges more efficiently, and achieve greater progress. “This collaborative approach is a testament to the commitment of both organizations to prioritize environmental remediation and ensure a sustainable future for the Ogoni community”.
He further stated that HYPREP’s commitment to a sustainable environment is also evident in its various projects and initiatives, such as the provision of potable water, land remediation, the Ogoni Power Project, shoreline clean-up, mangrove restoration, the construction of the Ogoni Specialist Hospital and Buan Cottage Hospital, the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration and the provision of alternative livelihood for the people of Ogoni, including the ex-artisanal refiners.
He added that HYPREP has shifted its approach from simply telling people about its activities and accomplishments to actively showing them the impact and value of its work.
“We have moved away from telling people what we do, to showing them what we do. This means we are now focusing on tangible demonstrations, visual storytelling, and real-life examples that illustrate the positive changes we are making”, he stated.
The meeting at HYPREP’s PCO saw a convergence of NUPRC and HYPREP management team members, setting the stage for meaningful discussions and collaborations.
