Nation
Ikpeazu Mourns ICRC DG, Izuwah
The Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has expressed deep sadness on the passage of the Director-General of Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission in the Presidency, Engr. Chidi Izuwah.
Governor Ikpeazu described the demise of Engr Izuwah as a major loss for the people of Abia State and recalled the fundamental interventions made by the deceased in favor of the State in his official capacity as Head of one of the most important parastatals of the Federal Government.
This was contained in a release by Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Onyebuchi Ememanka, yesterday.
According to the release, “the recent decision of the Nigerian Correctional Services to set up a Shoe Factory at the Aba Medium Security Correctional Facility was the culmination of several months of hard work by Engr Izuwah and his team at the Commission to complement the efforts of my administration in that regard. He was a most dependable partner of my administration in several other ways.
“Chidi was a first class professional whose professional skills were honed at Shell Petroleum for several years before his sojourn in public service where he displayed deep knowledge and uncommon patriotism in the discharge of his responsibilities as Director-General of the Infrastructure Regulation and Concession Commission at the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was a committed and passionate Nigerian but he was a more committed and passionate Abian who took lots of interest in the affairs at home. He was always willing to lend a hand whenever issues at home came up.
“In that regard, Chidi took after his late father, the revered former Permanent Secretary in the old Imo State and Traditional Ruler of Amaitolu Community, Late Eze Sir A. E. N Izuwah”.
“The Governor recalled that he was constantly in touch with him while he was on his sick bed and ensured that he got every necessary support, and looked forward to his full recovery. The news of his death came as a rude shock.
“At 56 years, Chidi was in his prime and at the very top of a brilliant and illustrious career. His death has robbed us of a major voice in key economic affairs at the national level. Clearly, we have lost one of the finest amongst us”.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3