Nation
WED: HYPREP Moves To Combat Plastic Pollution …Sensitises Ex-Artesenal Refiners
As part of activities to mark this year’s World Environment Day, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has taken steps to combat plastic pollution in Ogoniland and other places within its catchment area.
The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who gave this indication in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, to commemorate the World Environment Day, said the Project remains dedicated to a pollution-free environment for sustainable development.
He noted that HYPREP is promoting citizens’ actions against plastic pollution, having led members of its Green Frontiers, last year, to the Bomu creeks in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, to clean up plastic from the mangroves, stressing that this initiative is aimed at inspiring citizens’ actions and science, particularly among young students in Ogoniland.
Zabbey said as part of HYPREP’s efforts to combat plastic pollution, it has also initiated several interventions aligned with its belief that nature-based solutions and citizens’ actions are necessary to tackle environmental degradation in the region.
He revealed that HYPREP has launched the use of Growcoon to replace plastic bags in mangrove nurseries, and has equally adhered to the Federal Government’s directive by banning the use of single-use plastics in the HYPREP Project Coordination Office and Area Offices, and extending same to its project sites.
“We promote citizens’ actions by educating fisher folks and engaging young students in environmental activities. We have established functioning environmental clubs in secondary schools in Ogoni,” he intoned.
He further indicated that as part of activities to mark this year’s World Environment Day, HYPREP and the Green Frontiers jointly embarked on a sensitisation campaign with the fisher folks in Bomu fishing port, focusing on actions to reduce plastic waste in the creeks, saying, this supports the multi-stakeholder approach to raise awareness and galvanise local citizens’ actions on the occasion of this year’s WED, calling for deliberate actions from all stakeholders, including government, industry players, communities and individuals, to help develop policies, ensure compliance with existing ones, and reduce activities that exacerbate plastic pollution and its attendant effects.
The Project Coordinator assured that HYPREP would continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including government, Civil Society Organisations(CSOs), communities and other development partners, to campaign and mobilise actions against plastic pollution in Ogoniland and beyond.
Zabbey noted that today, the global scourge of plastic pollution is having a profound impact on ecosystems, thus, posing a severe threat to livelihoods and public health, contending that the major contributor to plastic pollution is the expanding sachet economy, particularly water sachets, which have become one of the most recognisable single-use products in West Africa.
He said in Nigeria, for instance, sachets have grown increasingly common, with over 50 to 60 million used water sachets discarded in the environment each day, which end up in streams, canals, rivers and oceans, significantly adding to plastic pollution and its negative impact on the environment.
In a related development, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has taken its sensitisation campaign to Ogoni ex-artesenal refiners, calling on them to desist from re-polluting the environment, as it is poised to boost their capacity by giving them specialised trainings, as a way of enhancing their livelihoods.
The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who gave this assurance during a sensitisation programme organised by the Project for ex-artesenal refiners at Zina Motel in Agbonchia community in Eleme Local Government Area, recently, said the event was deliberately planned to coincide with this year’s World Environment Day.
He noted that ex-artesenal refiners are important partners to what HYPREP is doing in Ogoniland, assuring them that the Project is committed to their cause.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by HYPREP’s Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian Paul-Aguiyi, said HYPREP acknowledges and appreciates the role which the ex-artesenal refiners are playing in the remediation efforts.
He said the event is geared towards moving them away from what they were doing before and give them alternative livelihoods, saying, “We will continue to engage them.They are a group we have already identified and already working with. They had willingly, on their own given up artesenal refining, by choice, and we are willing to work with them, to make sure there is no more artesenal refining in Ogoniland. We are encouraging them to keep doing what they are currently doing. And we will engage them. We made a commitment to give them specialised trainings, and we will make sure we give them sustainable livelihoods, to make sure they are off artesenal refining for ever.”
The highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of a keynote lecture entitled, ‘Clean-Up: Gains, Sustainability And The Prosperity Of Ogoniland’ by Prof DineBari Badey and Prof Lesi Kaegon, both lecturers at the University of Port Harcourt.
Donatus Ebi
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
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