Project Coordinator, Hydrocarbons Pollution Remediation Project. HYPREB, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey has reaffirmed committement to restore the environment in order to resuscitate livelihoods of the people in Ogoni, River State, South-South, Nigeria.
Briefing Journalists in Abuja, during the 17th Meeting of the National Council on Environment, NCE, the Project Coordinator, Hydrocarbons Pollution Remediation Project, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, said HYPREP is committed to enhance the capacity of the local people refer to as environment vandals.
Professor Zabbey said, the cleaning up of Ogoni land comprises of about 2000 hectares of both the medium risk site and a complex high risk site oil degraded areas.
According to him, “the project is in phases, that is, mangrove areas and a complex shore light areas. The former mangrove areas is about 560 hectares.
“Our mangrove system of restoring spillage areas is the best globally as that last and the best five times than tropical rainforest.
“So we have started with a pilot of 560 hectares and the community people are fully involved. Even the contract of the mango seeds are been given to them to provide for planting.”
He said the community people are directly involved in the planting also as part of the HYPREP broad livelihood programme.
“At the moment we have also trained about 5,000 youth and women, because we want to create a sustainable livelihood for them.”
“Just last Saturday, two Airlines came to Ogoni to interview people that we have trained as Cabin Crew. So we are creating all these for them as an alternative livelihood opportunities.
Professor Zabbey, further stressed that apart from the cleaning up of the oil spillage in Ogoni Land, HYPREP has also trained about 5000 Youths and Women from the Area for a sustainable development livelihoods.
He said the training is to enhance the capacity of the local people.
Shakirat Sadiq
