Rivers

HYPREP Set To Restore Ogoni Mangroves

Published

3 years ago

August 7, 2023

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

Rivers

Insecurity: Paramount Ruler Seeks Profiling Of Residents

Published

13 hours ago

March 23, 2026

The Tide

A Paramount Ruler in Rivers State, Nyenweli Elele-Alimini, in Emohua Local Government Area, Eze Peter Wagbara CP (rtd.), has called for the profiling of residents in his domain in order to forestall security threats and challenges.

The Nyenweli made the call at the weekend during the Ogbakor Elele Alimini 2026 first meeting held at their Kingdom Civic Centre in Elele, Alimini.

According to him, the step would help relevant authorities to keep tabs on residents and curtail criminality in the area.

The Paramount Ruler promised indigenes and non-indigenes living and doing business in the area of adequate security of their lives and properties.

“Inspite of the negative reports about insecurity in part of the country, I want to assure the people and residents of Elele Alimini of adequate protection of their lives and properties, hence the need for water-tight security throughout the nooks and crannies of Elele Alimini.

“Following the influx of people into Rivers State, particularly Elele Alimini right now, I want to charge chiefs and landlords in our kingdom to profile their tenants, religious leaders of the various faith-based organizations and commercial transporters in our domain”, Eze Wagbara said.

The retired Commissioner of Police stated that despite the violence and banditry in parts of the country, chiefs and elders as well as leaders of thoughts within his area would work closely to ensure peaceful co-existence among residents of Elele Alimini, adding that “it is one God, one Elele Alimini, and one destiny” under his reign.

He commended members of Elele Alimini Council of Chiefs and Elders as well as the CDC Chairman and the Youth President for their contributions toward the socio-economic development of the area.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Elele Alimini Gospel Ministers Forum (EAGMF), Apostle Hope Abikari, said there were a lot of churches serving God in Elele Alimini with different doctorines and practices and stressed on the need for confidentiality in handling of religious matters and related issues in the area.

“Eze Sir, I want to inform you that there are a lot of churches at Elele Alimini today serving God. In fact, this invite to religious leaders at Elele Alimini is very crucial. There is need to arrange for a fresh private meeting with religious leaders in Elele Alimini, which should be confidential. I suggest that a committee be set up to look into the activities of churches in Elele-Alimini”, he added.

He described Eze Wagbara as a Monarch who has the interest of his subjects at heart, and lauded Eze Wagbara and his Council of Chiefs, as well as members of Ogbakor Elele Alimini for their quality leadership in the kingdom.

On his part, the Chairman of Motor Cycle Operators Union of Nigeria, Elele Alimini Branch, Comrade Obuah Emeka, said members of the union who operate within Elele Alimini and Elele Okinali would render efficient services to commuters/passengers in the area.

Comrade Emeka explained that members of the union were not involved in crimes, noting that they do not constitute nuisance to the society.

He, however, promised to co-operate with the leaders of Elele Alimini in order to ensure safety within the area.

Rivers

KENPOLY Matriculates 4,350 Students

Published

13 hours ago

March 23, 2026

The Tide

The management of Kenule Beeson Saro Wiwa Polytechnic (KENOOLY), Bori, has matriculated a total of 4, 350 students into the 2025/2026 academic session.

The management said the matriculation ceremony is officially admitting students into various National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) courses in sciences, Engineering, Environmental and Management Technology, spreading in five different schools of the institution

Speaking at the event, the Acting Rector of the school, Dr. George Chile Wadike, told the matriculants that “the matriculation marks the beginning of a long and challenging, but fulfilling journey in your academic development. I implore you to be resilient, focused and dedicated to the primary reasons you are here”.

The polytechnic, Wadike said, “does not tolerate any form of indecency from students, social vices like examination malpractice, theft, cultism and other violences in any form, which attract outright expulsion.

“The Polytechnic is a place where you enjoy a lot of freedoms, but that freedom often comes with some corresponding obligations as your freedom ends where another person’s freedom begins.

“So, not only must you protect your rights, privileges and freedom, you must also ensure that you do not trample on the rights, privileges and freedom of Others.

“I, therefore, recommend that you emulate the examples of your mentors and lectures in self discipline, self care, good mode of dressing, fedelity to studies and work and general comportment so that you will not be found wanting.”

He continued that “Kenpoly is positioned to be a trailblazer in good governance, accountability and transparency within the firmament of Nigeria’s educational system.

“We have no doubt that this polytechnic is strongly positioned to solve some of the nations problems of unemployment by graduating not only self-employable youths, but also youths that are themselves employers of labour.”

He announced to the matriculants and parents that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has introduced a new intervention line with the Career Development Centers.

Wadike said the new intervention is purposely for the initiation, taking-up and continuous maintenance of Student Career Guidance.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Rivers

Group Seeks Traditional Medicine Hospital Establishment In Rivers

Published

13 hours ago

March 23, 2026

The Tide

A group under the aegis of the Modern Traditional Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria (MTMPN), Rivers State Branch, has called on the state government to build a designated traditional medicine hospital in the state.

They said this will enable the state government actualise full realisation of its healthcare service delivery programmes and maximize the potentials of its members in the state’s health sector.

The State Chairman of the MTMPN, Eze Stanley Munoye Ogbu, made the call after the group’s general meeting in Port Harcourt, weekend, noting that the modern traditional medicine practitioners in the state are ready to partner with the government to contribute their own quota towards the development of the health sector.

Eze Ogbu, who is a member of the Rivers state government approved Board of Traditional Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM), urged members to choose area of specialisations and not be jack of all trade, while also exhibiting a high sense of professionalism in their practice, and conducting their operations in a clean environment.

The Onye Ishi Agwuru of Okehi Kingdom in Etche Local Government Area of the state hinted that a committee has been set up by the TCAM Board to clamp down on unlicensed practitioners and use the opportunity to call on the state government to invest in traditional medicine to boost revenue and create jobs.

Also speaking, the Chairman of MTMPN, Obio/Akpor LGA Chapter, Dr. Dede Temple Owhadah, said the association is training members on modern practices in order to improve their efficiency in the treatment of patients across the state.

He called on herbal and traditional medicine practitioners in the state to get trained and be educated in their areas of specialisation to remain relevance in the practice

Owhadah warned that the taskforce will go after unlicensed practitioners after the training period and urged governments at all levels to work with the registered professionals in their domain to flush out unqualified practitioners and to tap into the profession’s human resources to improve the healthcare delivery system in the state.

He stressed that members of the group are celebrated researchers who have manufactured certified drugs as cures for various diseases and ailments.

“What we are doing is that we are training and educating our members to improve on their proficiency and modern practices they desire to operate with. After this, we are going to come after those unqualified practitioners and clampdown on them across the entire state.

“Whether you are selling herbal medicine in the street, bone setters, or using any form of herbs and alternative medicine to treat people, we are going to shut such areas down without any recognised government approval at the end of the training session”, he stated

On her own. Dr. Gorgeous Chinyere Adichie commended the group for the education and training of their members to update them with the needed professional experience in the practice.

By: Akujobi Amadi