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HYPREP Set To Restore Ogoni Mangroves

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3 years ago

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The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has restated its commitment and readiness to restore the mangroves of Ogoniland devastated by oil pollution.
HYPREP’s Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, gave this indication while briefing newsmen shortly after the tour of some facilities in Ogoniland by members of HYPREP’s Board of Trustees(BOT) of the Ogoni Trust Fund last Thursday.
Zabbey said HYPREP has already awarded 34 shoreline clean up projects that will clean oil contaminated shorelines of Ogoniland, stressing that it has also awarded nine projects that would pilot the mangrove planting in Bomu community.
According to him, the essence of the mangrove pilot projects is to rejuvenate the Ogoni ecosystem as quickly as possible, because it is using the shoreline clean up assessment technique to drive its shoreline clean up project.
He said the technique entails the coming together of stakeholders, including regulators, civil society groups and HYPREP to assess the level of contamination of the shorelines.
“When we see that natural attenuation, natural cleaning of the environment has taken place, as a result of tidal flow, because water comes and goes out every six hours in this area we are talking about, that also leads to decontaminating the environment. When we see that rejuvenated mangroves have started to grow, mangroves that are referred as volunteers, it tells us that the level of contamination has reduced to a level that mangroves can cope”, he said.
In Ogoniland, he noted, mangroves are key resource because they provide a lot of ecosystem for goods and services to the people.
“It is in the mangroves that you have commercial fishes.It is in the mangroves that women can go to pick periwinkles.It is in the mangroves that they harvest oysters.It is the mangrove that protects the people’s shorelines.And the mangrove is very key for climate change mitigation and adaptation because the mangroves emit more carbon, five times more than the rain forest”, he said.
The Project Coordinator, therefore, indicated that restoring the mangroves in Ogoniland is a significant step that HYPREP is taking to restore the environment, as it is going to restore mangroves in 3,000 hectares of former mangrove areas.
Zabbey further hinted that HYPREP is starting the initiative with 600 hectares in Bomu community.
He noted that apart from this, there are 39 active remediation sites in Ogoniland, which he said have been structured and categorised as simple sites, medium-risk sites and complex sites.
According to him, several simple remediation sites have been completed while HYPREP is currently dealing with the medium-risk sites before moving to the complex sites where there is high level of water contamination.
The Project Coordinator also hinted that HYPREP has gone beyond the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) Report on the Ogoni clean-up by embarking on massive capital projects like the power project and the specialist hospital, among others.
He said about $360million has so far been released by the Board of Trustees(BOT) for the running of HYPREP’s activities and execution of various projects, contending that it is pretty difficult for the body to score itself on what it has so far done, as it is only the stakeholders that have the prerogative to do so effectively.
Zabbey said a lot of sensitisation of the people is required to check the tendency of sabotage and re-pollution after the environment must have been cleaned.
He said apart from the six water projects embarked upon by HYPREP in the first phase, another 14 water projects have been awarded to reticulate water in 52 Ogoni communities, and enjoined the people to continue to support and own the projects.
He noted that the mandate of HYPREP is mainly to restore the Ogoni environment, both land and wetlands that have been contaminated by oil pollution as well as restore the people’s livelihoods of fishing and farming which have been degraded.
On his part, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees(BOT), Ogoni Trust Fund, Dr Mike Nwielaghi expressed satisfaction with HYPREP’s activities in Ogoniland, saying, members of the BOT could see the value of the monies so far released to the body, and scored it 70 per cent for the work done so far.
Nwielaghi said more aggressive and intensive publicity is needed for the world to be abreast of what HYPREP is actually doing in Ogoniland so that Nigerians would know that the clean-up exercise is not a farce.
He said the four-day tour of HYPREP’s facilities is part of the BOT’s oversight functions.

By: Donatus Ebi

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Rivers

VIO HOLDS COLLABORATIVE MEETING WITH AUPCTRE IN RIVERS STATE

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5 days ago

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May 29, 2026

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The Chief of the Rivers State Road Traffic and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), Engr. Akobo Monibo, alongside other executive officers of the agency, received the leadership of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE), Rivers State Council, during a courtesy and interactive meeting held at the office of the Chief VIO.

The delegation was led by the State Chairman of AUPCTRE, Comrade Tamunoiminabo Toby, accompanied by other executive members of the union.
Speaking during the meeting, Engr. Akobo Monibo expressed appreciation to the union leadership for identifying with the VIO at this crucial time and commended the union for its commitment towards workers’ welfare and institutional development.

According to him, the responsibilities of the VIO remain enormous and vital to the development of a safer transportation system within the state.

In his response, the State Chairman of AUPCTRE, Comrade Tamunoiminabo Toby, appreciated the warm reception and hospitality extended to the union delegation by the leadership of the VIO.

He explained that the purpose of the courtesy visit was to facilitate the establishment of an AUPCTRE Unit or Chapter within the VIO, noting that the union already has members within the Ministry of Transport and other related agencies.

The chairman further emphasized the benefits of union membership, especially in promoting workers’ welfare, unity, cooperation, and professional representation within government establishments.

Also speaking during the meeting, the Deputy Chief VIO, Comrade Livings Denoi, appreciated the union for the visit and welcomed the move towards establishing a VIO Chapter of AUPCTRE, describing it as a positive step toward strengthening collaboration and staff welfare within the agency.

Other personalities present during the meeting included Sup. Stella Jacks and the State Secretary of AUPCTRE, Comrade Okpeyeme Adebajo, alongside other officials from both organizations.

The meeting ended on a cordial note, with both parties reaffirming their commitment to partnership, institutional growth, and the promotion of efficient service delivery in Rivers State.

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Rivers

NEMA Launches Response Against Flood In Rivers

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5 days ago

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May 29, 2026

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The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has launched its 2026 flood disaster response campaign as flooding threats loom in Rivers and 21 other states across the country.
NEMA’s Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, flagged off the exercise during a stakeholders’ engagement in Port Harcourt.
The campaign is themed “Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance for a Resilient Nigeria.”
Represented by the agency’s Acting Director, South-South Zonal Directorate, Mr. Eric Ebhodaghe, Umar said the campaign was designed to drive early and coordinated action to save lives and livelihoods before the imminent flood.
”The campaign further seeks to promote proactive disaster management through stronger institutions and define clearer responsibilities among stakeholders.
“Each year, lives are lost, livelihoods are disrupted, and public and private infrastructure worth billions of naira are damaged.
“Communities also bear the burden of injuries, displacement, and the loss of life savings due to unmitigated flood events and their secondary effects”, she said.
Umar continued that the 2026 flood outlook predicted that 22 states and the FCT, covering 132 local government areas, fall within high flood-risk zones.
She added that another 14 states, covering 148 local government areas, had been classified as moderate-risk areas.
The NEMA boss explained that the agency had already convened an expert review meeting to assess the implications of the forecasts and develop strategies to minimise anticipated impacts.
She identified likely challenges to include delayed or erratic rainfall, shorter growing seasons, above-normal rainfall in some areas, prolonged dry spells, and rising temperatures.
“These factors are expected to affect key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, transportation, energy, water supply, education, and overall public wellbeing”, she said.
She further disclosed that NEMA had developed a 2026 Climate-Related Risk Management, Preparedness and Mitigation Framework to reduce flood impacts nationwide.
According to her, the framework includes capacity building for local responders, simulation exercises, strict adherence to weather advisories, prepositioning of relief materials, infrastructure integrity assessments, and development of community evacuation plans.
The NEMA boss said the agency had also identified flood risk profiles for vulnerable communities through its flood early warning system and procured vulnerability maps to support planning.
“Beyond this engagement with stakeholders, the agency is deploying technical teams to all states of the federation for direct community outreach.
“These efforts will be supported by State Emergency Management Agencies, Local Emergency Management Committees, and community volunteers”, she said.
Umar called on traditional rulers, religious organisations, women and youth groups, the media, and private sector to support the dissemination of early warning information.
Also speaking, the Head of Emergency and Disaster Management at the Rivers State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Tamunosiki Ogbanga, said the agency had commenced evaluation and monitoring of flood-prone areas across the state.
Ogbanga said SEMA, under the Rivers State Ministry of Special Duties, had begun reviewing possible mitigation measures and monitoring flood flashpoints to reduce the impact of flooding on residents.
“Our plan for the evacuation of residents in flood-prone areas is part of our ongoing evacuation and monitoring exercise”, he said.
Ogbanga explained that residents in vulnerable communities would be relocated to safer locations whenever the need arises.
“Where they cannot get a safe place, SEMA will relocate them to temporary Internally Displaced Persons camps and provide the necessary support”, he added.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to strengthen flood preparedness and emergency response across Rivers State.
Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick
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Rivers

Monarch Attributes State’s Development To Peace, Unity

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5 days ago

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May 29, 2026

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The Eze Oha Evo III of Evo Kingdom, His Majesty King Leslie N. Eke, has attributed the steady development witnessed in Rivers State to what he described as the peaceful and purposeful leadership style of the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
Eke stated this recently while chatting with newsmen at his palace in Woji Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The chat was  part of his reactions on the  activities marking the 59th anniversary of the creation of Rivers State and the celebration of the Governor’s three years in office.
The royal father noted that since the creation of Rivers State on May 27, 1967, the state had passed through different political, economic and security challenges, but that the present administration had sustained relative peace across the state.
According to him, peace remains the bedrock of development, stressing that no society can attain meaningful growth and infrastructural advancement in an atmosphere of rancour and instability.
The Nyerisi Eli Woji cum Eze Woji XII, commended the Governor for promoting unity among the diverse ethnic nationalities in the state, adding that “the Governor’s calm disposition and inclusive style of governance had contributed immensely to the prevailing harmony being enjoyed in many parts of the state.”
The monarch, who is also the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Ikwerre Government Recognized Traditional Rulers, observed that the administration had continued to record visible achievements in critical sectors of the economy despite prevailing political tensions in the state.
He further stated that the Governor had demonstrated maturity and commitment in the handling of state affairs, particularly in security and community relations, which he said had encouraged investors and businesses to operate without fear.
King Eke explained that traditional rulers across the state remained key stakeholders in the sustenance of peace, noting that the synergy between the government and traditional institution had helped in addressing communal disputes and youth restiveness in some areas.
The first class monarch urged Rivers people to continue supporting the present administration in order to consolidate on the gains already recorded in infrastructural development, healthcare delivery and human capital development.
He also called on political actors and stakeholders in the state to place the interest of Rivers State above personal ambitions, saying that the progress of the state should remain a collective responsibility of all citizens.
The royal father appealed to youths in the state to shun violence and criminal activities, while embracing dialogue, education and legitimate means of livelihood that would contribute positively to the growth of the state.
He expressed optimism that Rivers State would continue to experience greater peace, unity and development under the Governor’s leadership, and prayed for wisdom and strength for him as he pilots the affairs of the state.
 King Onunwor
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