Ogoni Cleanup: 2,400 Youths Undergo Skills Training as HYPREP Expands Projects

No fewer than 2,400 Ogoni youths are undergoing technical and professional training under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), as the federal government intensifies efforts to combine environmental restoration with economic empowerment in oil-polluted communities.

The initiative formed part of more than 120 projects being implemented by HYPREP across Ogoniland, Rivers State, covering environmental remediation, mangrove restoration, potable water, healthcare, skills acquisition and livelihood support.

The project coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, disclosed this during an oversight visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, led by Hon. Dumnamene Deekor.

At the Limeview Training Centre, the lawmakers interacted with trainees and instructors, commending the programme for equipping young people with practical skills to improve their employment prospects and access opportunities in the international labour market.

The committee also inspected several intervention projects, including the land remediation site at Ogale in Eleme Local Government Area, the water facility at Kegbara Dere in Gokana and mangrove restoration sites at Bomu and Bodo.

Other facilities visited included the cottage hospital at Buan, specialist hospital at Kpite, primary healthcare centre at Onne, the power plant and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration.

On healthcare, Zabbey said the specialist hospital was designed to provide advanced medical services to residents of Ogoniland and neighbouring communities, with an oncology unit dedicated to cancer screening and treatment.

He also disclosed that a human-health monitoring study coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an arm of the World Health Organization, was investigating possible links between hydrocarbon contamination and health conditions among residents.

The cottage hospital at Buan was reportedly nearing completion but required the deployment of personnel before commissioning. The Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration had also recorded additional progress, including furnishing, with commissioning targeted before the end of the year, subject to readiness and staffing.

The committee, however, identified flooding as one of the challenges affecting remediation activities, with monitoring wells and soil-treatment areas sometimes submerged. It also pledged to intervene over an alleged obstruction of access to a project site by a community chief.

Chairman of the committee, Deekor, who represents Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, described the inspection as worthwhile, saying the projects demonstrated progress in implementing HYPREP’s mandate.

He nevertheless stressed the need for additional funding to address the scale and complexity of the Ogoni cleanup, urging oil companies responsible for pollution, including NNPC/Renaissance and Shell, and other relevant partners to sustain their contributions.

The lawmakers expressed concern over the Buon water project, alleging that little visible progress had been made since their previous visit. They said they would consult HYPREP management before considering further action, including recommending contract cancellation if the contractor failed to meet expectations.

In contrast, the committee commended the Kegbara Dere water facility for the effective operation of its solar-powered system, urging HYPREP to extend the technology to other projects facing electricity supply and pumping challenges.

The committee, which also included Hon. Emil Iyang, representing Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency, called for stronger accountability and faster project delivery, stressing that the success of the cleanup should be measured not only by environmental recovery but also by improved healthcare, access to clean water and sustainable economic opportunities for Ogoni residents.