Skills Acquisition: Ogoni Communities Donate Land To HYPREP

As part of steps to fully implement the recommendations of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report on Ogoniland in Rivers State, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has taken delivery of parcels of land donated to it by some communities in the area.
While the Ogale community in Eleme Local Government Area donated two percels of land, the Korokoro Tai Community in Tai Local Government Area donated a large expanse of land which they said would enable HYPREP to provide alternative sources of livelihood to the people of the communities, particularly the youths.
Taking delivery of the land in the two communities last Wednesday, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Dr. Marvin Dekil thanked the people of the communities for the gesture, and promised to put the property to proper use to ensure that the recommendations of the UNEP Report on Ogoniland were implemented to the letter.
Dekil, who was represented at the event by HYPREP’s Head of Media, Mr. Nafo Kpoobari assured that the facilities would be used to provide agricultural and other skills to youths of the communities whose lands were seriously impacted by hydrocarbon activities.
Announcing the donation of the parcels of land at his palace, the Paramount Ruler of Ogale Community, Emere Godwin Bebe Okpabi expressed his community’s readiness to always cooperate and partner with HYPREP to ensure that the people’s means of livelihoods were restored.
According to him, since the Ogale community is badly impacted by oil pollution, it decided to give free of charge double portion of the parcels of land to HYPREP.
On his part, the Gbene Mene Tai Kingdom, Korokoro Tai, King Godwin N.K. Giniwa, while donating the land assured HYPREP of his people’s continued support and cooperation to the clean-up of Ogoniland.
The monarch appealed to the people of Ogoni to give peace a chance to ensure that the restoration of the livelihoods of the people and the clean-up exercise go on unhindered.
He charged HYPREP to ensure that the parcel of land was effectively utilised to provide skills to children of the community in particular and the entire Ogonis.

Donatus Ebi