By Ngozi Nwankwo
Federal Government, through the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU) and the Federal Ministry of Environment, has commended
Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) for the progress in the project delivery.
CRDCU made the commendation at the concluded two-day visit to HYPREP project sites in Ogoni.
The visit was in an effort to accelerate the implementation of the Ogoni Clean-up Programme being carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project.
The CRDCU, headed by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman is saddled with the mandate to work with relevant stakeholders towards ensuring the effective and efficient delivery of Federal Government priority policies, projects, and programme.
Coordinator of CRDCU, Esege Ebei-Esege, who represented the SA Hadiza Usman, said the visit is to evaluate the various HYPREP projects, describing them as on of the high-impact deliverables of the Federal Government, under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The team commended HYPREP under Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator, for achieving these feats in 2 years in the saddle, and called for continued stakeholder support for the Project, while acknowledging the congenial atmosphere and project ownership by Ogoni communities. Ebei-Esege added that the government is committed to the full implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on Ogoni Environment.
Also, the CRDCU has assured that it will foster linkages and partnerships between HYPREP and other intergovernmental agencies to fast-track project implementation and completion.
Reacting, Prof. Zabbey expressed delight at the visit, noting that it allowed the CRDCU to see physical projects and other livelihood interventions. The PC highlighted the various milestone achievements of the Project, especially the completion of Phase 1 of the Mangrove Restoration and Shoreline Remediation projects, which have advanced significantly. He informed that the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) training to certify community workers for Phase 2 of the shoreline project will soon commence, as the list is being collated from affected communities.
Among other Project achievements, the PC further disclosed that the K.Dere Water facility is ready for inauguration, adding that the Ogoni Wetlands will be designated a Ramsar Site of International Importance this year. He informed that the Ogoni Power Project is on course, with the installation of two 60 MVA transformers and towers at the Bodo Transmission Sub-station.
He stressed that the Project is simultaneously implementing all the recommendations of UNEP, including carrying out innovative research to support the Federal Government’s Directive on Food Security and Plastic, with the use of growcoons- biodegradable bag, to replace plastics in mangrove planting, and an experimental process to enhance soil fertility and crop yield on closed-out remediated sites. He explained that the Project in partnership with an Indian biotechnology company has isolated beneficial microbes that are indigenous to Ogoni to formulate biofertilizer. This has been tested, producing a significant difference in crop yield where it was applied, he noted. All these, the PC stated, are HYPREP’s contribution to advancing the knowledge of remediation and restoration. ” We cannot do a project of this large scale, without contributing to improving the science of remediation globally, overall we are doing very well” the PC maintained.
The PC was optimistic that the visit will help accelerate project’s implementation, a position also shared by Engr. Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, the Renaissance Africa Energy Company/JV Representative in HYPREP. Engr Igbinomwanhia said Renaissance is committed to the Ogoni Cleanup Programme, noting that the visit further demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to HYPREP.
Prof. Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director, Technical Services, led the visitors to the various projects, including the Buan Cottage Hospital, Ogoni Specialist Hospital, Ogoni Power Projects (Wiiyaakara and Bodo Transmission Sub-stations), Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER), Eteo and Ebubu Water Stations, Phase 1 Remediation lot in Botem, Ongoing Phase 2 Remediation lots in Ogale, High Risk Complex Site in Nsisionoken, Ogale, Mangrove Restoration sites in Bomu, and Shoreline remediation sites in K.Dere.