The Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, has said that the milestones so far recorded in the ongoing Ogoni Cleanup Programme are laying firm foundations for the sustainable development of Ogoniland.

Speaking in Port Harcourt during the third-quarter interactive session between HYPREP and Ogoni youths, Prof. Zabbey highlighted the significant progress achieved across various components of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)-mandated cleanup project.

According to him, mangrove restoration in the impacted areas is 94 percent complete, shoreline remediation stands at 67.1 percent, while phase two land remediation has progressed to 36.55 percent.

He noted that these achievements demonstrate the Federal Government’s commitment to restoring the Ogoni environment and improving the living conditions of residents.

Zabbey announced that HYPREP has constructed 14 water facilities, providing potable water to 40 communities, while the ongoing commissioning of water schemes in Bane and Gwara communities would increase the number of communities with access to clean and safe drinking water to 45.

On infrastructure, he disclosed that work on the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) has reached 92 percent completion, while the Ogoni Power Project is progressing with wayleave compensation and construction activities ongoing at Bodo and Wiiyaakaara substations.

He further revealed that construction of the Ogoni Specialist Hospital and the Buan Cottage Hospital had reached 76.8 percent and 98.7 percent completion respectively. In addition, HYPREP is advancing its public-health programmes, including the Human Bio-Monitoring Survey, aimed at assessing health impacts of hydrocarbon pollution in Ogoni communities.

Prof. Zabbey also reported strong performance under the livelihood and empowerment component of the project, with over 7,000 direct jobs created for Ogoni women and youths. More than 5,000 beneficiaries have been trained in multiple vocational and technical skills and equipped with start-up kits, grants, and educational scholarships.

He added that new training would soon begin in high-demand areas such as cybersecurity, full-stack software development, mud logging, commercial diving, and underwater welding, in response to youth aspirations and labour-market trends.

> “This quarterly engagement is designed to ensure that youth voices are heard, concerns are addressed, and progress updates are provided transparently. A project of this magnitude must be people-centred, accountable, and participatory,” Prof. Zabbey said.

He assured that HYPREP remains fully committed to transparency, accountability, and community participation in the implementation of the UNEP Report, noting that all ongoing projects are designed to serve as enabling pathways for the overall development of Ogoniland.

> “This project belongs to all of you, and its success depends on your participation, unity, and constructive engagement. With your support, all challenges will be addressed in the public interest,” he said.

Prof. Zabbey urged Ogoni youths to continue to promote peace, discourage misinformation, and collaborate with HYPREP field teams to ensure smooth project delivery.

Earlier, Professor Dinebari Badey of the University of Port Harcourt delivered a keynote address on the nexus between HYPREP and youth participation in development, stressing the importance of unity and purpose in sustaining progress. Engineer Solomon Akere also spoke on the opportunities available to Ogoni youths in business and enterprise.

Participants at the interactive session raised questions on maintenance of water projects, remediation procedures, and compensation for the Right of Way (RoW). Management staff of HYPREP present at the event responded to the concerns raised.

The engagement, held in line with HYPREP’s stakeholder policy, provided a platform for dialogue, transparency, and accountability as the Ogoni Cleanup Project continues to transform communities and create pathways to a cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous Ogoniland.

The President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Bldr. Daniel Abimbola Kolade, FNIOB, has called on Nigerian builders to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship as key drivers for addressing the nation’s housing deficit.

Speaking at the inaugural council meeting of the Institute held at its National Secretariat in Abuja in his speech themed, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Key Driver to Housing Delivery,” the NIOB President said the Institute is poised to lead transformative change in the nation’s housing delivery system.

Bldr. Kolade described the meeting as a strategic platform for redefining NIOB’s policy direction for the next two years, stressing that the housing challenge presents both a national problem and a professional opportunity.

“We, as custodians of building production management, must reposition ourselves not only as technical experts but as innovators, entrepreneurs, and national solution providers,” he stated.

He emphasized that innovation must now be embedded in the professional DNA of builders, urging practitioners to embrace sustainable technologies, research-based construction methods, and digital project management tools.

According to him, the Institute will promote innovation through research collaborations, innovation labs, and pilot projects that showcase emerging construction techniques.

On entrepreneurship, Bldr. Kolade noted that competence alone was no longer sufficient, and that builders must evolve into enterprise creators capable of driving employment and economic growth through construction-based ventures.

He further outlined the Institute’s five key policy pillars for the next two years, to include innovation
and research; entrepreneurial
development; professional regulation and ethics; advocacy
and policy influence;
capacity building and youth empowerment.

The NIOB President also paid tribute to past leaders of the Institute for laying the foundation upon which the current administration will build, saying leadership must go beyond preservation to purposeful expansion.

“If we can harness innovation, embrace entrepreneurship, and strengthen our professional unity, we will not only close the housing gap — we will redefine the standards of housing delivery in Africa,” he affirmed.

He called on builders nationwide to view themselves as not only craftsmen but nation builders, visionaries, and entrepreneurs committed to delivering sustainable housing and national development.

The NIOB President earlier led the National Council members to a site visit to the NIOB construction site at Idu, Abuja.

The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Eastern Zone, has applauded the appointment of Hon. Benibo Anabraba as Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) by His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara,

The Socio Cultural Organisation described the appointment as a masterstroke of leadership and wisdom.

MOSIEND in a statement by the Acting Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Gibson, and the Assistant Secretary, MOSIEND Eastern Zone, Dr. Tams Longjohn hailed the appointment as a reflection of Governor Fubara’s Eagle-eyed discernment, belief in merit, and unwavering commitment to building a peaceful and people-centered administration anchored on excellence and integrity.

“Hon. Anabraba is a statesman in every sense, an accomplished lawyer, a tested grassroots politician, and a man of Peace whose record of service stands tall,”

The statement noted that “from his days as a grassroots politician to his election as a legislator, his tenure as Minority Leader in the Rivers State House of Assembly, and his service as a Commissioner, Hon. Anabraba has remained a model of maturity, courage, and dedication to the Rivers project.”

MOSIEND expressed confidence that Hon. Anabraba will bring his trademark calmness, intellect, and wealth of experience to bear in his new role, assuring that the people of Rivers State will feel the positive impact of his leadership.

The group commended Governor Fubara for his strategic and inspiring commitment to peace, stating that the appointment once again demonstrates the administration’s preference for competence, loyalty, and results over political convenience.

“We are proud of this choice,” MOSIEND affirmed. “It signals continuity, stability, and a renewed focus on people-oriented governance.”

The organization congratulated Hon. Benibo Anabraba and prayed for divine guidance, good health, and strength as he takes on this vital assignment in service to Rivers State.

Chinedu Wosu