… Flags-off Second Phase Shoreline Clean-up
By: Felix Ikpotor
The Federal Government of Nigeria has flagged-off the second phase shoreline clean-up and mangrove restoration in Ogoniland, reiterating its commitment to the delivery of a clean and safe environment to the Ogoni people.
Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal who performed the flag-off at an event to mark the 10th Anniversary of Ogoni Clean-up Exercise at the St. Patrick’s Waterfront, Bodo in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) in Wiiyaakara, Khana LGA, respectively, said the government places the clean up exercise as a national priority.
He said the government understands the pains of the people and they are focused on building a better environment for the future of Ogoniland.
He commended the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey and his team for the work they are doing across the 4 LGAs of Ogoni ranging from soil and groundwater remediation to shoreline cleanup, to provision of potable water, public health interventions, the Ogoni Power project, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, the Buan Cottage Hospital, to capacity building, saying the results are visible.
“This monument is a reminder that the Federal Government has not turned its back on the Ogoni people. Ten years ago, in this very place, the flag-off of the Ogoni Cleanup was performed. Today, we return to reaffirm that commitment.
“Let it be clear: the Federal Government under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu GCFR remains fully committed to restoring the Ogoni environment in line with UNEP’s recommendations. The decision to make HYPREP a national priority since 2023 reflects this resolve.
“We understand the pain of the past, and we are focused on building a better future with a healthy Ogoni environment, improved livelihoods, and renewed hope for Ogoniland, ” Lawal stated.
Addressing Ogoni stakeholders, the minister urged them to engage HYPREP constructively, warning that disruption of the project was capable of stalling progress, urging them to choose the part of collaboration, transparency and mutual respect.
He remarked that since the government made the Ogoni clean up a national priority, the project has witnessed a remarkable speed, advising that the support, partnership and buy-in of the Ogoni stakeholders was necessary to achieve uptimal progress.
Lawal also charged beneficiaries of the various human capacity-builfing programmes of the Project to use it for the betterment of their lives and that of their family members.
“As we unveil this monument today, we are also flagging off the second phase of the Shoreline Cleanup, Mangrove Restoration and issuing the International Maritime Certificates 1 and 2 to community workers.
“I am pleased to note that making the Ogoni cleanup a national priority has accelerated, and intensified the remediation and livelihood restoration efforts in Ogoni and created over 8,000 jobs for youths and women.
“This marks a new chapter for these young people, and we urge them to use this opportunity to improve the lives of their families. We will continue to ensure that livelihood restoration moves in tandem with environmental remediation and for benefits of the cleanup process to reach impacted communities, ” Lawal added.
For his part, Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, recalled that the Ogoni Clean-up, was officially flagged off at the St. Patrick’s Waterfront, Bodo on 2nd June 2016, stressing that ten years is a significant milestone, as it offers all stakeholders an opportunity to visit the historic site to reflect on the progress made so far on the project.
He stated that the Ogoni cleanup implemented by HYPREP is the world’s largest remediation project while the mangrove restoration is also the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangrove, highlighting the importance of preserving the legacy of the Ogoni cleanup with a remodelled permanent monument.
“This unveiling ceremony therefore reminds us of the importance of working together as project stakeholders to achieve the objectives for which HYPREP was established.
“The restoration of the environment remains a key focus for HYPREP. We are advancing this through soil and groundwater remediation, shoreline cleanup, ecologically sound and community-based mangrove restoration, innovative research, and the newly constructed Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration.
“In line with HYPREP’s mandate, we are also working to restore and improve livelihoods, recognising that environmental restoration must go hand in hand with the social and economic wellbeing of the people, in line with the expectations of HYPREP’s Governing Council, ” Zabbey stated.
Zabbey said the HYPREP restoration sites have witnessed a remarkable development as fishes and other aquatic species are gradually returning while the mangroves wetlands have been designated a Ramsar Site of International Importance.
The Project Coordinator, however, appealed to shoreline communities against overharvesting as it posses a great challenge to the acquatic resources in the restored areas.
He disclosed that the HYPREP Project Coordination Office will continue to raise awareness among local communities of the dangers of overharvesting and the need to stop indiscriminate mangrove harvesting towards protecting the ecological character of the Ogoni mangrove wetland.
In his remarks, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company (formerly Shell Petroleum Development Company), Mr. Tony Attah, who was represented at the event by Mrs. Oke Oguns, the Project Lead for the Renaissance Ogoni Remediation Project (RAEC-ORP) said the company’s financial support to the cleanup exercise is an statutory commitment, declaring that their support and technical assistance remains intact.
Also speaking, the board chairman, Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) Senator Magnus Need Abe, acknowledged that HYPREP has been a blessing to the people of the area, calling for renewed support and collaboration with the agency to sustain the gains of the current administration.
He commended the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal and the HYPREP management team for the feats achieved so far in the cleanup exercise.
“Most importantly, I would like to say that for us as Ogoni people, HYPREP has been a blessing. It has taken us quite a while to get to this point, but I think it is important that we acknowledge that HYPREP has been a blessing to the Ogoni people.
” If you look around you where we are today, this entire complex, and if you look at the hospital, you look at the remediation sites, you look at the water projects, you look at all the things that have happened in Ogoni because of HYPREP, I think we should be grateful. Let me also say that I joined my brother, the chairman of the board, to say that this minister has done very, very well for our people, ” Abe stated.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional institutions, the king of Eleme Kingdom, Emere Dr. Philip Osaro Obele said HYPREP have redesigned Ogoni environment for the benefit of the people, nothing that for this past ten years, they have done well for the people, urging all Ogonis to support them.
