The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) said it has successfully treated over 937,000 litres of oily sludge from the mangrove sediment and evacuated over 1.7 million kilogrammes of solid waste from creeks in Ogoniland.
HYPREP Project Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, revealed this while giving a scorecard on the activities of the project in Port Harcourt, explaining that the gathering was an avenue to engage youths in meaningful dialogue to get the feedback that would ensure the project’s activities aligned with the environmental restoration and sustainable development of Ogoni.
Zabbey also hinted that HYPREP’s Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER), located in Wiyaakara, will be commissioned this year for public use, adding that they are working on providing potable water and fast-tracking it to ensure that more communities access clean and safe drinking water.
”In February 2025, we commissioned additional water facilities in the Beeri and Bunu communities in Khana and Tai Local Government Areas, respectively, bringing the total number of operational facilities to 10, supplying potable water to 30 communities in the area,” he said.
”We have also achieved significant milestones in the ongoing construction of new water facilities in various communities across the four local government areas, particularly in the Bodo, Uegwere-Boue, Gwara, Taabaa, Okwale, Aleto, Kaani, Deken, K-Dere, and Borobara communities.
“We are determined to commission these facilities in the third quarter of this year.”
The Project Coordinator stressed that the project’s livelihood restoration programmes will continue to empower Ogoni youths with skills and opportunities for sustainable economic development.
Speaking at the interactive session, Associate Professor Sorbarikor Lebura, called on Ogoni to be on the right side of history by ensuring that projects that are sited in their communities and local government areas are completed in due time and protected from acts of vandalism.
He explained that every project has a timeline for completion, and those youths slowing the pace of work at different sites by unnecessary interference are on the wrong side of history.
”If a project is not meeting specifications, it is your job to cry out; it is your job to tell us. We must do it constructively; do it with the aim of seeing that there is an improvement in what is done.”
On his part, the Coordinator, Joint Representative Council of Ogoni Youth Groups, Ledogo Amabu, said the event is timely, as the engagement has further shown the leadership of HYPREP is fully interested in the manner in which various activities of the project is being received by them.
”We have a PC that is youth-friendly, that is accessible. Under his leadership, students have been empowered, so the youths are in support of the engagement.”
