The Project Coordinator of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Dr Ferdinand Giadom, has urged the new Minister of Environment, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi to ensure that the welfare of workers of the project is given top priority in order to motivate them.
This is even as the Federal Government has promised to link major communities in Ogoniland in Rivers State to the national grid in order to power ongoing water projects in the area.
Giadom, who made the appeal at the HYPREP office in Port Harcourt during the maiden visit of the Minister recently, said there was the need to give the welfare of HYPREP staff adequate attention because of his policy of slightly adjusting the Civil Service Rules as it concerns them, so as to fast track the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on Ogoniland.
According to him, he had adjusted the rules in such a way that the workers now resume work by 7am instead of the traditional 8am, while they close from work beyond 5pm.
Giadom said with this development, the workers are supposed to be paid some extra tokens as overtime allowances in order to really encourage and motivate them.
He, therefore, appealed to the Minister not to hesitate in giving his approvals whenever applications from his office are forwarded to him for this purpose.
The Project Coordinator explained that the minor adjustment of the civil service rules was to enable his office to timely execute the clean-up project, which he said had suffered undue delay in the past.
Abdullahi, while addressing the workers said the Federal Government has taken steps to link major communities in Ogoniland to the national grid in order to provide regular power supply to ongoing water projects provided by the government in the area in order to sustain them and boost economic activities.
He said in a couple of days, the Project Coordinator would put in place the necessary framework to enable the Federal Government to link the communities to the national grid.
Abdullahi noted that President Muhammadu Buhari is not happy with the slow pace of the Ogoni clean-up project, for which reason, he had approved the appointment of a new Project Coordinator for HYPREP, and also appointed him as substantive Minister of Environment to fast track the implementation of the UNEP Report.
According to him, the President wants to see a situation where the clean-up project and other ongoing water projects in Ogoniland are commissioned before leaving office on May 29, 2023.
Abdullahi stressed the need for stakeholders engagement and collaboration in the implementation of the UNEP Report, and solicited the support and commitment of the workers and all Ogoni people towards the clean-up project.
The Minister, during the visit, paid courtesy visits to the President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers and Gbenemene Tai, King Godwin Giniwa; the Gberemene Gokana, King Festus Babari Bagia; the Gbeneme Babbe Kingdom, King Monday Noryaa; and the Oneh-eh Eleme X1, King Philip Obele.
Abdullahi also inspected some remediation sites at B-Dere Community in Gokana and others in Tai as well as water project sites in Gokana and Khana Local Government Areas.
The Minister, at a stakeholders meeting in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, assured the Ogoni people that the Federal Government would always give them a fair deal, particularly as it relates to the implementation of the UNEP Report.
He said all monies and funds approved for the clean-up project must be accounted for, and assured that both Ogoni women and youths would be adequately carried along in terms of employment and execution of contracts.
Abdullahi was accompanied on the visit by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Matters, Mr. Ajuri Ngalele; among other personalities.

Abdullahi also inspected some remediation sites at B-Dere Community in Gokana and others in Tai water project sites in Gokana and Khana Local Government Areas.
The Minister, at a stakeholders meeting in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, assured the Ogoni people that the Federal Government would always give them a fair deal, particularly as it relates to the implementation of the UNEP Report.
He said all monies and funds approved for the clean-up project must be accounted for, and assured that both Ogoni women and youths would be adequately carried along in terms of employment and execution of contracts.
Abdullahi was accompanied on the visit by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Matters, Mr. Ajuri Ngalele; among other personalities.

By: Donatus Ebi