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Minister Commissions Two Water Projects In Ogoniland
The Minister of Environment, Hon Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has commissioned two water facilities in Bomu Community and Kporghor Community in Gokana and Tai Local Government Areas respectively of Rivers State.
The commissioning ceremony, which took place in Bomu Community last Friday witnessed a large crowd of enthusiastic Ogoni people and personalities from all walks of life.
The Minister was accompanied at the event by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Engr Abubakar Momoh and some bigwigs of federal agencies.
Before the commissioning of the water projects proper, the Ministers had visited the barricaded HYPREP’s remediation site in Ogale Community in Eleme Local Government Area to assess the situation, before proceeding to the palace of the Gbere-Mene Gokana Kingdom, King Festus Babari Bagio on a courtesy visit, where they and other dignitaries were treated to a lavish reception.
At the palace, the two Ministers and the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Deinibarini Zabbey were presented awards of excellence by the Gokana Youth Council led by MeneKpakol E. Kpakol.
Lawal and Zabbey were also presented their certificates of recognition by the Gokana Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs as members, having been inaugurated into the council last year.
While inaugurating the water facilities, Lawal praised the Ogoni people for their support to the President Bola Tinubu administration and the various projects being carried out by HYPREP in their land, and enjoined them to continue to take ownership of the projects.
The Minister also issued International Maritime Organisation(IMO) Levels 1 and 2 certificates to trained community workers as well as launched the pilot cook stove project and equally unveiled GROWCOON for growing mangrove seedlings.
As a way of commemorating the 2024 International Mangrove Day which was marked that Friday, the Ministers and the Project Coordinator of HYPREP planted mangroves at the Bomu waterfront.
Goodwill messages were also delivered at the occasion by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs; the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of HYPREP, Dr Mike Nwielaghi; the representative of the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP); representative of Shell Petroleum Development Company(SPDC); representative of Stakeholder Democratic Network(SDN); representative of the Centre of Environment and Human Rights Development(CEHRD); and the spokesman of CRAC , HYPREP, King Suanu Baridam.
In his welcome address, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey said the commissioning of the water facilities reflects the new spirit of accelerating the Ogoni clean-up project in alignment with Priority 3, Derivable 3 of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasises the importance of environmental sustainability and community empowerment as critical pillars for sustainable development.
He noted that HYPREP is proud to contribute to this national agenda, reflecting a new spirit of determination and action.
According to him, the Minister of Environment’s wisdom and guidance have ensured that the Project Coordination Office proceeded meaningfully while carrying out this presidential directive.
The Project Coordinator said “the commissioning of the water projects marks another milestone in our collective journey toward successfully implementing the UNEP Report on Ogoniland recommendations”.
He further indicated that access to clean and safe water is a fundamental human right, as the people witness once again the fulfilment of this promise to the hydrocarbon impacted communities in Ogoniland, and urged the communities to continue to protect the water facilities for common use.
Zabbey hinted that HYPREP is strengthening healthcare facilities across the four local government areas of Ogoniland.
He also announced that the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration is at 60 percent completion rate, as a committee has been established to recommend a framework for its operations.
According to him, progress is being made on the Ogoni Specialist Hospital while the Buan Cottage Hospital has been roofed.
The Project Coordinator equally revealed that the training of 5,000 Ogoni youths and women in 20 skill areas is nearing completion while the Minister has graciously approved the provision of skill-specific starter packs to the trainees.
He said HYPREP is also enhancing its stakeholder engagement strategies, ensuring that the voices and needs of the Ogoni people are at the forefront of its initiatives.
He said the Project is undertaking the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, as it has so far planted 514,819 mangrove seedlings.
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Engr Abubakar Momoh noted in his goodwill message that the Federal Government is highly committed to the clean-up project in Ogoniland, and appealed to the youths to remain calm and not allow politicians to use them to foment trouble or to engage in anything that would disrupt and truncate the gains already achieved, saying he was delighted to witness the commissioning of the water facilities and for having come to witness what was happening in Ogoniland.
He also expressed joy that President Tinubu had within a tickle of the eye reinstated the Project Coordinator as soon as interventions were made on his behalf.
He said the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) in particular has taken a different shape under the President Tinubu administration, and assured the people of Niger Delta that good things would continue to come to the region.
According to him, the Niger Delta would be greatly transformed, going by the allocations made for the region in this year’s budget.
The dignitaries were treated to scintillating cultural displays at the event.
By: Donatus Ebi
The Hausa Community in Rivers State has dissociated itself from media reports credited to one MaiwadaAdamu that the Arewa Community in Rivers State has appointed Alhaji Musa Saidu as the acting SarkinHausawa, PortHarcourt, following the inability of the former SarkinHausawa, Alhaji Isa Madaki to carry out his functions.
MaidawaAdamu, who is also the spokesman of the Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Co-existence, had briefed journalists on the change, but in a swift reaction, the Office of Alhaji Isa Madaki, has come out to say that the only recognised body which has the powers to appoint the SarkinHausawa, PortHarcourt is the Council of SarkinHausawa in PortHarcourt headed by Alhaji Isa Madaki.
The statement also said Alhaji Hussani Isa Madaki is the only recognisedSarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt, adding that his appointment follows the proclamation and endorsement by the council members of SarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The statement further called on the general public and all authorities concerned to give Alhaji Hussani Isa Madaki maximum co-operation and support,as he discharges his duties as SarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt.
The Suspended Rivers State Commissioner for health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, has described as baseless allegations in some quarters that she was responsible for the purported disruption of the Nigerian First Lady’s empowerment program in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh, who said this in a statement personally signed by her and a copy made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt also described the allegation as a product of the sick imagination of rumour mongers
According to Dr Oreh, “they are nothing more than a feeble and mischievous attempt to tarnish my reputation and sow discord”
In her words,”the allegations levelled against me, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, regarding the supposed disruption of the First Lady’s empowerment programme on Friday 2nd May, 2025, are entirely unfounded, completely false, and a product of the sick imagination of rumour mongers and conflict entrepreneurs.
“They are nothing more than a feeble and mischievous attempt to tarnish my reputation and sow discord.”
The suspended commissioner challenged those behind the allegation, especially the Concerned Rivers Youth Organisation to show proof of its assertion adding “It is essential to base criticisms on facts rather than speculation or puerile political agendas.
“I challenge the “Concerned Rivers Youth Organisation” (assuming such a body really exists) to provide tangible proof to support their assertions.
“It is essential to base criticisms on facts rather than speculation or puerile political agendas.
“I have neither sponsored nor will sponsor any activities aimed at embarrassing or disrupting the activities of the administration appointed by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to oversee the affairs of Rivers State following his declaration of a state of emergency on Tuesday, 18th March, 2025, and have rather spent the time of my suspension from office focused on other endeavours and my doctoral studies.
“I reaffirm my commitment to working tirelessly for the progress and development of Rivers State.
“Furthermore, I believe that it is crucial for all stakeholders to promote a culture of truth, integrity, and respect in public discourse.
“Unsubstantiated wild claims undermine trust and hinder constructive engagement, and this is not what the state needs at this difficult and delicate time.
“I urge everyone to focus on issues that unite us and foster a positive, solution-driven dialogue for the betterment of our State, and urge everyone to work together to build a brighter future for Rivers State, grounded in truth, transparency, and collective effort,”she said.
By: John Bibor
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has called on key regulators, asset owners and other stakeholders to continue to support the agency toward the goal of remediating the Ogoni environment and restoring the livelihoods of the people and building structures for peace.
The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who made the call during the Project’s first quarter meeting with regulators, asset owners and stakeholders in Port Harcourt, urged the stakeholders to remain resolute in supporting HYPREP’s work.
“We particularly expect each regulatory agency and asset owner to deepen their involvement and continue to provide strategic support to the project”, he said, stressing that the quarterly meeting platform remains instrumental in providing a structural avenue for regulators, asset owners, and implementation partners to offer feedback to HYPREP on project performance and deliberate on ideas that move the project forward, as well as strengthen collaboration, deepen synergy and reinforce collective responsibility.
Zabbey disclosed that the socio-economic study of Ogoni has started, as HYPREP has contacted the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation(WHO) to commence in the next quarter a three-year human health biomonitoring in Ogoniland.
He noted that work on several fronts of the cleanup project is progressing steadily, adding that as key project partners, the insights and shared experience of the regulators and asset owners have always enriched HYPREP’s operations.
He said the policy thrust of HYPREP for 2025 is clear, as the Project is intensifying efforts to complete within stated timelines, the various ongoing projects, including remediation works and mangrove restoration, potable water facilities, the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, the Ogoni Power Project, Ogoni Specialist Hospital, and Buan Cottage Hospital, among others.
Zabbey, however, announced that HYPREP would commence new set of shoreline cleanup, mangrove restoration and livelihood projects, to sustain the momentum of implementing the Ogoni cleanup, adding that the agency would also conduct detailed site characterisation of the high-risk complex sites, leading to remediation works at the sites.
He noted that HYPREP’s collaboration with Rivers State Ministries of Health, Power and Environment, and civil society organisations remains vital, stressing that the technical and administrative support of all relevant government agencies and funding partners is indispensable in helping HYPREP overcome operational bottlenecks, especially those encountered in interfacing with host communities.
He further indicated that “the people of Ogoni and the nation are looking to us with hope and expectation, and expect tangible results from the remediation initiative”, assuring the participants that the Project Coordination Office is committed to delivering positive results.
“We must, therefore, continue to work with diligence, transparency, and a renewed sense of purpose”, he declared, saying, “ the completion and commissioning of projects this year must reflect not only our technical ability but also our collective commitment to environmental sustainability and sustainable development in Ogoni.”
During the interactive session, the Project Coordinator briefed the participants on the progress made so far by HYPREP to conclude the distribution of starter packs to the 5,000 Ogoni trainees, and called on contractors who had already collected huge chunk of money for the project, to deliver without further delay.
In all, the regulators, asset owners and stakeholders commended HYPREP for the good works it is doing, and urged it to do more.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency(NOSDRA) was represented at the event by Deputy Director, Oil Field Assessment, Dr Abam Komommo Omini, while Dr Vincent Nwachukwu, Director of Medical Services, represented the Rivers State Ministry of Health.
The Rivers State Ministries of Water Resources, Power and Environment were represented by Dr Bealo Brownson; Engr K. J. Osele; and Mr James Ordu respectively, while the Society for Women and Youth Affairs (SWAYA); and the Stakeholder Democracy Network(SDN); among other civil society organisations were also at the event.
By: Donatus Ebi