Ogoni Mangrove Restoration Project Close to Completion – HYPREP

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has announced that the first phase of the Ogoni mangrove restoration programme has reached 94 percent completion. The agency also reported significant progress in land and shoreline remediation efforts across Ogoniland.

HYPREP Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, made this known during the third-quarter interactive session with Ogoni youth groups held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Zabbey explained that the interactive forum, which began in 2023, was established to promote transparency, inclusiveness, and dialogue between HYPREP and Ogoni youths regarding ongoing environmental cleanup and development projects.

“The project remains on course to deliver on its mandate as outlined in the UNEP Report on Ogoniland and the official gazette establishing HYPREP. We are committed to transparency and accountability in all our cleanup activities,” he stated.

Providing updates, Zabbey said shoreline remediation had reached 67.1 percent completion, while the second phase of land remediation stood at 36.55 percent. He added that 14 completed water facilities had been commissioned, providing clean drinking water to 40 Ogoni communities, with two more facilities in Bane and Gwara scheduled for commissioning next week.

Once completed, the number of safe water facilities serving Ogoni communities will increase to 45.

He also revealed that work had begun on operationalising the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Remediation, while the Ogoni Power Project continued to make steady progress, with compensation and construction activities ongoing at the Bodo and Wiiyaakara substations.

According to Zabbey, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital had reached 76.8 percent completion, while the Buan Cottage Hospital was at 98.7 percent. Other health-related initiatives, including the Human Bio-Monitoring Survey, are also underway.

On youth empowerment and livelihood development, the HYPREP boss noted that more than 7,000 Ogoni youths and women had benefited from employment opportunities, while 5,000 others had received skills training and start-up support.

“Workshops, education grants, scholarships, and other empowerment programmes will continue. We are also set to begin training in high-demand fields such as cyber security, full-stack development, mud logging, commercial diving, and underwater welding this quarter,” he announced.

Zabbey appealed to Ogoni youths to remain peaceful, avoid misinformation, and work collaboratively with HYPREP teams in their communities.

“This project belongs to all of you, and its success depends on your participation, unity, and constructive engagement. Let us continue to resolve challenges through dialogue rather than confrontation,” he said.

He commended the HYPREP security team for maintaining peace and order across project sites, adding that their professionalism had contributed to stability in Ogoni communities.

Zabbey reaffirmed HYPREP’s commitment to ensuring that the benefits of the cleanup reach all segments of the Ogoni population, including those in business, farming, advocacy, education, entrepreneurship, and community development.