By Ngozi Nwankwo
Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, has been lauded for improvement of livelihood in Ogoniland.
The House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities led by its Chairman, Rt. Honourable Dumnamene Dekor commended HYPREP during its two-day working visit to some project sites in Ogoniland.
The Committee confirmed that the Project is improving the livelihood of the Ogoni people following the number of youths and women being engaged across its about 130 projects.
While speaking, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey said the visit will further bolster the Project’s commitment to deliver on its mandate and quest to providing a template for the clean-up of the larger Niger Delta.
The Committee visited various project sites including the barricaded remediation site in Ogale, Eleme, the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration,CEER, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, Buan Cottage Hospital, Buan Water Scheme, shoreline remediation and mangrove restoration sites in Bomu, Gokana LGA. At the mangrove restoration site in Bomu, committee members took turns to plant mangroves seedlings.
The visit was wrapped up with an interactive session where stakeholders expressed confidence in the Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey’s blueprint and commitment to delivering on the mandate of HYPREP.
Meanwhile, the Committee, assured stakeholders that it would follow up to ensure that funding partners of the Project meet their financial obligations while urging them to continue to own and support the Project to succeed.
The Committee said it would investigate contractors who are not meeting their contractual obligations for the timely executive of projects.
Following stakeholder’s submissions for the sustainability of HYPREP, the Committee disclosed that it has commenced the process for legislation to that effect.