The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has assured that it will implement the recommendations outlined in the Report of the Technical Planning Committee (TPC) on the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) in Ogoni.

The assurance was given by Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator of HYPREP, when the TPC Chairman, Professor Don Baridam, led members to present the report at the Project Coordination Office (PCO) in Port Harcourt.

Speaking during the submission of a comprehensive report by a 13-member Technical Planning Committee, Professor Zabbey assured that the report would be submitted to the HYPREP Governing Council, with the hope that the Council would expedite steps towards the immediate operationalisation of the CEER.

The committee, headed by Professor Don Baridam, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, was inaugurated on May 31, 2024, to develop a sustainable framework for operationalising the CEER.

The report, which was presented to the Project Coordination Office, provides encompassing recommendations for the smooth and quick operationalisation of the Centre.

The development, according to Zabbey, is timely, as the construction of the Centre of Excellence has reached an impressive 80% completion rate.

He noted that the CEER is designed to serve as a hub for innovative research, skill development, and environmental management, providing sustainable solutions for pollution prevention, control, and ecosystem restoration.

“The Centre will position Nigeria as a leader in environmental remediation and restoration, fostering innovation and best practices in pollution management,” Professor Zabbey explained.

He added that the CEER would bring numerous benefits to Ogoniland, including a cleaner environment, improved public health, and opportunities for economic empowerment through skills training and employment.

Also, a member of the Committee and former Vice-Chancellor of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Prof. Barineme Fakae, noted that the Committee, in its recommendations, proposed that the Centre should be set up as a Directorate under HYPREP rather than waiting for a Bill or Law to be passed.

This move, he said, is expected to fast-track the development of the Centre, which is already equipped to function as an international institution for research.
Prof. Fakae noted that the Centre’s facilities are the first of their kind in the region and are suitable for hosting international research conferences.

He said, “The report that has been submitted actually has all it takes. To fast-forward the development of the Centre, the Committee made one very key recommendation—that we will not have to wait for a Bill or a Law to move the Centre to go, but as a Directorate, it should be quickly set up so that it can go.”

Prof. Fakae stressed that the Centre is ready and can function as an international institution for research. He noted that the Centre’s facilities are state-of-the-art and can host any type of international research or conference.

Prof. Fakae expressed his optimism about the Centre’s future, saying that it will attract collaborations with federal institutions and other organisations.

With this development, the Centre is poised to make a significant impact in the field of environmental restoration.