Niger Delta
Stakeholders Okay HYPREP’s Performance
Stakeholders and industry regulators, have reviewed the activities and performance of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project ( HYPREP) in the second quarter of 2024 and gave the Project a clean bill of health, affirming that it has done excellent and tremendous work to improve the living conditions of the Ogoni people within the period under review.
This is even as they have unanimously fixed their third and fourth quarterly meetings with HYPREP for September 26, 2024 and December 5, 2024 respectively.
This indication came to the fore during the second quarterly stakeholders/ industry regulators meeting organised by HYPREP at Casoni Hotel in Port Harcourt last Thursday.
The former Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Deinibarini Zabbey said in his welcome address that the attendance of the meeting by the key stakeholders and industry regulators is an expression of their commitment to HYPREP’s goals and objectives.
He noted that the quarterly review meeting is a component of HYPREP’s monitoring and evaluation framework, which is crucial, as it brings together key project stakeholders and industry regulators, including representatives from the Federal Ministry of Environment; National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency(NOSDRA); Rivers State Ministry of Environment; Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources; Rivers State Ministry of Health;Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC); Stakeholders Democratic Network (SDN); Centre for Environment Human Rights and Development (CEHRD); AIFES; SWAYA; and other players.
He noted that HYPREP is using the platform to provide an update on the status of its project delivery, saying, “Over the past quarter, we have made significant progress in our remediation efforts and other project thematic areas”.
According to him, key milestones include the ongoing remediation of several land and shoreline sites; mangrove restoration; the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration; the Ogoni Specialist Hospital; water facilities; and sundry livelihood programmes.
Zabbey said the journey has not been without challenges, adding that “We have encountered logistical hurdles, including malicious cutting of planted mangroves; inter- intra communal land disputes; community leadership tussles; and targeted fence erections that impeded access to contaminated sites.”
He, however, posited that in the face of these odds, HYPREP’s tenacity remains unshaken, as it is more determined than ever to achieve its goals, as it would continue to utilise its conflict prevention and resolution mechanism to resolve the issues, and solicited the continued support and collaboration of the stakeholders to effectively address the challenges and bottlenecks.
The former Project Coordinator said the meeting provides a unique opportunity for the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Rivers State Government, industry regulators, the funding partners, civil society partners and other key stakeholders to provide feedback on HYPREP’s performance, saying, “this platform allows us to align our efforts with regulatory expectations and industry best practices”.
He further indicated that through it, HYPREP welcomes the insights and suggestions on how it can improve its strategies, processes, enhance compliance and achieve its project goals more effectively and within stated timelines, saying, “your insights and evaluations will guide our strategic adjustments and shape our future direction, ensuring we remain on the right path toward achieving our remediation, livelihood, peacebuilding and other project objectives”.
Zabbey also hinted that HYPREP is reviewing site assessment and stakeholder engagement strategies for optimum results and intensifying its community engagement initiatives, by ensuring that the Ogoni communities are informed and actively participating in the Project.
According to him, this includes training programmes for youth, enhancing their skills in sustainable livelihoods and environmental management, and providing inclusive employment opportunities.
“Community content has become part of our contract administration.We are committed to transparency and accountability in our operations,” he intoned.
While expressing his sincere appreciation to the stakeholders for their unending support and collaboration, Zabbey affirmed that, “together, we can overcome the challenges before us and achieve the goals and objectives of HYPREP.”
He enjoined the stakeholders to continue to work with HYPREP in harmony and with focus, “leveraging our collective expertise and resources to restore and return the Ogoni environment, restore the livelihoods of its people, and build structures for peace”.
The Monitoring and Evaluation officer of HYPREP, Mr Goodluck Msu mounted the stage and presented a lucid account of HYPREP’s activities and scorecard to the participants within the period under review, which elicited reactions and comments on how the Project has fared so far, in its bid to improve the living conditions of the Ogoni people.
While scoring HYPREP high on what is currently on ground, the Head of Environment, Stakeholders Democratic Network (SDN), Mr Jude Samuelson Ikenna commended the Project for the work it is doing but stressed the need for it to employ more technical personnel to improve its monitoring and supervision of projects since the volume of work is increasing by the day.
On her part, the Assessment and Sustainability officer of the Centre for Environment Human Rights and Development ( CEHRD), Baridapsi Nyiaghan expressed satisfaction with the various projects and programmes undertaken by the Project in Ogoniland but solicited for an improvement.
Also speaking, Mrs Oguns Oke of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Ogoni Restoration Project while expressing her excitement, assured HYPREP of SPDC’s continued support, and stressed the need for mechanism to be put in place to channel floods away from ongoing project sites , particularly now that the rains have set in.
Overall, the participants expressed grave concern about the fencing of some ongoing project sites in Eleme by an individual, and called for prompt action to address the inherent challenge.
While responding to this anomaly, the former Project Coordinator noted that the Zonal Representative Committee and the Central Representative Advisory Committee(CRAC) of HYPREP had been deployed to handle the issue in accordance with the Project’s peace building policy instead of employing force.
On the call for the Project to employ more technical hands, he hinted that recommendations to that effect had already been presented to the Governing Council for consideration and approval.
Among personalities who attended the meeting was the Head of Reference Laboratory of the National Oil Spill! Detection and Response Agency(NOSDRA), Dr Kenneth Aroh, who represented the agency.
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Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has ordered an immediate review of environmental sanitation operations in Calabar metropolis.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Linus Obogo, on Friday, the Governor said the sanitary situation of the city had become a cause for concern.
He said the review became necessary because Calabar should continue to maintain its status as the cleanest city in the country.
“The city is now littered with wastes, the cleanliness status of Calabar is almost gone, we cannot just fold our arms and watch,” he said.
The Governor continued that every resident of the city had roles to play towards restoring the sanitary status of the city.
“Every resident should live up to their responsibilities. Our reputation in sanitation was not earned overnight, we worked for it.
“It is the product of discipline, policy consistency, and civic responsibility. We cannot allow negligence to take away this reputation,” he said.
He further directed that henceforth, sanitation exercise should be supervised by the office of his Special Adviser on General Duties.
“This intervention is intended to ensure stricter coordination among contractors and government agencies that are responsible for waste management,
“Environmental sanitation is not a peripheral concern of government. It is central to public health, urban dignity, and the overall quality of life of the citizens”, he said.
Otu expressed displeasure at lapses arising from the attitude of some refuse contractors in the state.
He said breakdown of mechanical tools could not be a reasonable excuse for non-evacuation of refuse.
“Operational setbacks should never translate into visible environmental neglect. Preparedness, contingency planning and prompt response are the hallmarks of responsible service providers.” he said.
A Bayelsa-based lawyer, and candidate for the position of National Assistant Secretary in the suspended National Executive Council (NEC) elections of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organization, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Barr. Abraham Marshall, has said the court order, which restrained the conduct of the March 7th, 2026 polls, was a setback to stakeholders of the INC.
He expressed his worries about the plights of delegates who travelled from various parts of Ijaw land to come for the elections in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, only to be disappointed by the court order.
While thanking other candidates for maintaining orderliness and brotherliness all through the campaign processes, Marshall said the court injunction has devasted candidates vying for various positions.
He described the cost of what has already been spent on campaigns and sundry arrangements for the elections as huge.
Marshall noted that already he was a leading candidate for the position of National Assistant Secretary as he was optimistic of victory.
“First of all I’ve great confidence in the ability of the Electoral Committee headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, HRM, Justice F.F Tabai, which was eager to conduct a seamless election.
“Some of us have campaigned through the three zones and clans of the INC. Some of us went to the Western Zone, Eastern and Central Zones to meet delegates.
“That is how it happenes atimes when there are contest, some persons who are aggrieved, rather than take laws into their hands, go to court to seek judicial redress. So, I want to commend all candidates for maintaining decorum throughout the entire process.
“I like to also call on stakeholders to quickly seek for ways through internal mechanisms of the INC to end this problem so that the elections can be conducted because as candidates we’ve incured lots of expenses leading to the process”, he stated.
Meanwhile, in a bid to proffer solutions to the issues bedeviling the smooth conduct of polls, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Friday met with stakeholders of the INC and its six Presidential candidates, as well as other major stakeholders of the Niger Delta region in Government House, Yenagoa.
In his remarks, the Governor commended individuals and institutions, including the presidential candidates and the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), for their efforts towards actualising a peaceful and seamless transition of leadership in the Ijaw National Congress (INC).
The Tide gathered that at the meeting, the presidential candidates agreed to withdraw all subsisting litigations concerning the election.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, Diri also expressed gratitude to the Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Ambassador Godknows Bolade Igali, the Chairman and members of the INC National Electoral Committee, and other stakeholders who contributed to the resolution reached at the meeting.
Drawing an analogy from the scriptures, particularly 1 Kings Chapter 3, he likened the unanimous agreement of the candidates to withdraw all pending court cases to the decision of the true mother of the disputed baby who pleaded with King Solomon not to cut the child into two.
According to the Bayelsa helmsman, the resolution reflects the enthusiasm, love and patriotic fervour in all the presidential candidates to move Ijaw nation forward.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the meeting, the candidates, including High Chief MacDonald Igbadiwe, who secured the injunction from a Port Harcourt High Court stopping the INC Elections billed for last weekend, confirmed the agreement and pledged commitment towards the peaceful emergence of the next President of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organization.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has rescued seven victims and detained four suspects linked to human trafficking along Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Uyo on Saturday.
John said police operatives dismantled a human trafficking syndicate operating within the state, rescuing seven victims and arresting four suspects involved in the network.
She said acting on credible intelligence, operatives swiftly mobilised a patrol team for a coordinated stop-and-search operation along Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road on Friday.
The operation, conducted at about 8 a.m. on Friday, targeted vehicles suspected of transporting victims of human trafficking.
“During the operation, the suspected vehicle was intercepted and four victims were immediately rescued, while the suspect conveying them was arrested and taken into custody.
“Following reports that a vehicle was conveying young persons suspected to be victims of human trafficking, our operatives quickly moved to intercept it,” John said.
She said interrogation of the suspect led to the expansion of the operation to Itam and Ibaka in Oron Local Government Area.
John said three additional victims were rescued and three more suspects apprehended during the follow-up operation.
This brought the total number of rescued victims to seven and suspects arrested to four.
According to her, preliminary investigations revealed that the trafficking syndicate specialised in recruiting and transporting young persons across borders for exploitation.
“Intelligence gathered further disclosed that one of the ringleaders earlier escaped through waterways from Ibaka in Oron to Cameroon and Gabon with some victims”, she said.
John said investigations were ongoing and the suspects would be charged in court upon completion of the probe.
The police spokesperson reiterated the Command’s commitment to combating human trafficking and other organised crimes in the state.
She assured the public that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.
John urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely information to the police to help protect vulnerable persons and strengthen community safety.
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