By: Felix Ikpotor
Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, has called on youths of Ogoniland to desist from spreading misinformation and unsubstantiated allegations about the ongoing clean up exercise in the area.
He said such misinformation hampers progress on the project.
Zabbey, who gave the charge at the 2025 first quarterly interactive session with Ogoni youths, noted that the project with its tripartite administrative structures remains committed to accountability and transparency.
He appreciated the enthusiasm and concern by the youths towards the success of the Ogoni cleanup, but however, urged them to engage in constructive criticisms.
The HYPREP PC also urged the youths to embrace dialogue and negotiation as their most potent tools for resolving conflicts and driving advocacy and progress.
” We understand the importance of a well-informed public and would appreciate your role in disseminating accurate information about the project. We also appreciate your enthusiasm and concern for the success of the Ogoni cleanup. However, we urge you to refrain from spreading unsubstantiated allegations and misinformation, as they hinder progress.
“The project is committed to transparency and accountability, with its tripartite administrative structure comprising the Governing Council, Board of Trustees of the Ogoni Trust Fund, and Project Coordination Office, which are complementary to ensuring checks and balances in the system,” he stated.
The HYPREP PC added: ” I therefore, urge you to remain committed to constructive engagement. Embrace dialogue and negotiation as your most potent tools for resolving conflicts and driving advocacy and progress. By utilising the platforms available, we can collectively influence policies and decisions that benefit Ogoniland”.
He further disclosed that the Project would launch a Civic Education and Constructive Engagement (CECE) Campaign in the coming weeks to sensitize Ogoni people including youths on the importance of peaceful dialogue, active citizenship, civic responsibilities, and collaborative development efforts.
Zabbey used the avenue to reel out some of the successes of the Project in the period under review, highlighting his landmark achievements in thematic areas of remediation, livelihoods, healthcare amongst others.
He said: “HYPREP’s progress across other thematic areas is particularly evident in the remediation of polluted sites. As of today, the shoreline remediation project is at a completion rate of 39.4%. In this area, we have recovered, evacuated, and treated over 937,000 litres of oily sludge from the mangrove sediment. We have also evacuated over 1.7 million kilograms of solid waste from the Ogoni creeks.
“The mangrove restoration project has reached an 86% completion rate. The monitoring of the planted mangrove grids is progressing well. We have initiated a practical framework for long-term monitoring to ensure the project’s objectives are met”.
The HYPREP PC informed the youths that the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) in Wiyaakara, Khana LGA was nearing completion while provision of potable water is being fast track with the building of 10 water facilities which currently provides water for 30 communities in Ogoniland with others to follow soon.
On livelihoods, Zabbey said HYPREP’s Livelihood restoration programmes has continue to empower Ogoni youths with skills and opportunities for sustainable economic development, adding that beneficiaries of the Seafarers’ training have been inducted, and their training has commenced.
He also informed that the Creative Arts training for youths of the area will begin in the second quarter of the year, stressing that the Project has an array of interventions to support small and medium-scale businesses, which will be rolled out in the coming weeks.
He also revealed that the installation of Information Technology equipment in the Project’s pilot IT-supported classroom project is ongoing across various beneficiary schools across the four LGAs in Ogoniland, including Alesa, Bori, Bane, Bodo, and Korokoro communities, while the Ogoni Specialist Hospital and the Bua Cottage Hospitals are nearing completion.
On power, the HYPREP PC said in March 2025, the Project Coordination Office took delivery of the first batch of equipment for the Ogoni Power Project while further deliveries are expected in the second quarter.
Zabbey emphasized that all the achievements recorded wouldn’t have been possible without the people-centered leadership and guidance of the Minister of Environment and Chairman of the Governing Council of HYPREP, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal.
Giving his keynote address at the event, Associate Professor Sorbarikor Lebura, a lecturer at the Rivers State University, called on Ogoni Youths to be on the right side of history by ensuring that projects that are cited in their communities and local government areas are completed in due time and protected from acts of vandalization.
He explained that every project have a timeline for completion, adding that youths slowing the pace of work at different sites by unnecessary interference were not doing the Project any good.Reacting to the timing of the Youth Interactive Session, the Coordinator of Joint Representative Council of Ogoni Youth Groups, Comrade Ledogo Amabu said the event is timely as the engagement has further shown that the leadership of HYPREP is fully interested in the manner in which various activities of the project is being received by the youths.
”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,” he stated.
