Nation
HYPREP Celebrates WED In Style
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) on Wednesday joined the rest of the world to celebrate this year’s World Environment Day in grand style.
It actually started the celebration last Saturday with the planting of mangroves at the Bomu Creek in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.The planting of the mangroves was carried out in partnership with the Nigerian Environmental Society(NES) which massively mobilised its members to the waterfront, where the mangroves were massively planted to restore part of the degraded shoreline.
HYPREP indicated that it also carried out the exercise in conjunction with contractors who had already been mobilised to site to plant mangroves at the waterfront in keeping with its shoreline restoration programme.
At the Bomu Creek, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Deinibarini Zabbey; the Rivers State Chairman of NES, Sir Amos Daminabo Atuloyedia; and others were all handy, as they stepped into the marshy environment, fully kitted and planted the mangroves, to the admiration of all present.
Speaking to newsmen, Zabbey said the exercise was the beginning of the 2024 World Environment Day celebration which would climax on Wednesday, June 5, the day the global event is marked annually, stressing that HYPREP was partnering with NES to plant mangroves at the waterfront to actually make the event worthwhile and colourful.
On his part, the NES boss, Sir Atuloyedia said the body was delighted to partner with HYPREP to celebrate this year’s World Environment Day, hinting that the society would also visit the Liquefied Natural Gas plant in Bonny as part of activities to mark the day, which he said would climax last Wednesday at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt.
On Wednesday, the celebration of the World Environment Day took another dimension as HYPREP mobilised students from four secondary schools in Ogoniland, namely; Community Secondary School, Bomu; Community Secondary School, Barako; Community Secondary School, Mogho; and Bodo City Girls to carry out the removal of plastics at another section of the Bomu Creek, where mangroves had already sprouted.
The Project Coordinator, Prof Zabbey, the students and some HYPREP workers, who were all fully kitted, moved into the marshy landscape and weeded out plastics at the base of each of the lush mangroves.
However, before the event proper kicked off in earnest, the Head of the Livelihood Unit of HYPREP, Mrs Josephine Nzidee; Mangrove Officer, Mr Uche Izuchukwu; and Subject Matter Expert/Team Lead Mangrove, HYPREP, Prof Franklin Tanee had given the students,drawn from the environmental clubs established by the Project pep talks on what the day was all about and what they should do at the waterfront.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the removal plastics, Zabbey,who practically demonstrated leadership by example, underlined the importance of the World Environment Day celebration, describing the activity as the climax of what was started last Saturday in Bomu community.
He disclosed that HYPREP had established 20 environment clubs in Ogoniland, which it has been supporting as part of efforts to recover the biodiversity, stressing that the removal of the plastics at the mangroves was symbolic.
The Project Coordinator had earlier in a statement to celebrate the World Environment Day, noted that the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘Our Land, Our Future: Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience ‘, resonates deeply with HYPREP’s mission and ongoing efforts and achievements in Ogoniland and the wider Niger Delta region.
He said the 2024 WED provides an opportunity to reflect, design, and facilitate approaches to protect our commonwealth- land, restore degraded ones, and discourage human activities that compromise the integrity of the environment and biodiversity.
Zabbey further noted that for a region whose primary livelihood depends on fertile soil and flourishing river systems, restoring degraded environments is essential for recovering and sustaining biodiversity; improving agricultural productivity; and enhancing communities’ livelihoods, stressing that the future of the Ogonis and the wider Niger Delta depends on their land.
According to him, HYPREP is equipped with the necessary resources and strategically positioned to lead this generation to undertake this task decisively.
The Project Coordinator urged stakeholders to take definite stance to prevent oil pollution occasioned by oil theft, vandalism and artisanal refining, prioritise oil infrastructure maintenance and monitoring to protect the environment; to prevent and clean up plastic pollution that defaces and impairs land and wetlands; conduct adequate sensitisation and awareness creation to mainstream good environmental behaviours; and develop citizens’ capacity to pursue alternative and sustainable livelihoods, which would dissuade local communities from engaging in unethical acts, stressing that HYPREP reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the remediation and restoration of Ogoniland.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt recently hosted a- 4 Day programme in conjunction with the 3rd United Nations Oceans Conference ( UNOC:3) to mark the World Environment Day, 2025.
The Programme which was supported by the Embassy of French in Nigeria was focused on ocean protection and held from 9 to 13 June, 2025 at the premises of the Alliance Franchise.
The Tide News reports that the week long event was inspired by the Educational booklet “Understand Ocean And Act” created by the French Development Agency (AFD),was free and open for all.
The exhibition adapts complex environmental challenges into engaging educational contents for learners of all ages. It also placed special focus on French Language Learners at the beginner level( A1-A2) and school students.
According to the Director of Alliance Française Mrs Marina Lacal, 130 pupils from six schools in Port Harcourt and additional 60 students from local Universities participated in the guided visit and interactive activities.
Schools that took part in the Programme include Cornerstone International school, Vine, International, Greenoak, Gold gate Montessori, Helm Bridge and Virgo Praedicanda International school.
Others are the University of Port Harcourt,(UNIPORT) Rivers State University (RSU)and the Ignatius AJuru University of Education (AUE)
Mrs Lacal further said that through this initiative Alliance Française Harcourt and its partners have reaffirmed their commitment to educating younger generations and promoting global awareness through language, culture and environmental engagement
However, the exhibition witnessed interactive tools such as French-Language game, quizzes, memory challenges, fill-in -the -blanks. It also provides a platform to explore major ocean issues including climate change,biomliversity loss, plastic pollution, sustainable fishing and climate induced migration all through a linguistic and civic lens.
In line with it’s eco conscious approach , all displayed banners used for the exhibition will be recycled into eco friendly souvenirs such as(key chains) that would be given to participants after the event, to further help reinforce the message that every action counts.
It would be recalled that all snacks and drinks provided during the visit were served with low plastic packaging in line with the environmental message of the event.
The Deputy Commandant General of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS) Anti- Bunkering Agency, Amb Wachukwu Adah, has expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing into law the Nigeria Forest Security Service Bill, describing the gesture as a right step in the right direction. The operatives of the NFSS are known as forest guards.
Amb Adah, who made the commendation during the official structuring of the Nigeria Forest Security Service Anti-Bunkering team and induction of legionnaires in Omoku Town, headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday, described President Tinubu as the best President of Nigeria following his monumental achievements in office.
He said the Local Government Autonomy Bill recently signed into law by the President Tinubu administration has tremendous impacts on the lives of the average Nigerians, especially those at the grassroots level.
He noted that by this singular gesture, the President had hit the ground running, for the meaningful development of the country.
Amb Adah reiterated that Rivers youths would utilise the opportunity to serve the country to the best of their ability, acknowledging their readiness to do the needful by ensuring that the forests across the nation are adequately secured.
The Deputy Commandant General also applauded the transformation of the Federal Capital Territory by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, saying, the Minister has turned Abuja to London.
He, however, appealed to the Minister to assist Rivers youths to get sensitive positions in the new Nigeria Forest Security Service ,saying, there is need for him and other leaders to assist the youths who are interested in jobs at the NFSS to secure them, as it is done elsewhere.
“ We need your backing on securing the jobs at NFSS”, he said.
Amb.Adah, who represented the National Commandant, Amb Joshua Osatimehia, said the youths are fully ready to contribute to the security, progress and growth of the nation, and emphasised the essence of character, professionalism and quality service delivery at the NFSS.
In his address, the Administrator of Ogba/ Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Council, Dr Ndu Ajie assured the security outfit of the total support of the council.
Dr Ajie, who was represented by the Secretary of the council ,Mr.Onyedibia Ndulaka, praised the determination and sacrifices made by the security operatives in ensuring and fostering the peace and security of the State.
On their part, heads of security agencies in the local government area, including the Joint Task Force(JTF); the Police; the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC); and the Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC), commended the efforts of the security outfit in the security of national assets, assuring them of collaboration to achieve common goals.
During the event, the 23 LGA commanders and other ranking officers were commissioned.
Recall that President Tinubu had commissioned the Nigerian Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and a committee to work out modalities on the operations of the NFSS.
The former State Commander of NFSS, Chief Will Wegwu showered encomiums on the Deputy Commandant General for his sacrifices and untiring efforts to keep the flag flying.
Chief Wegwu assured the participants that the officers and men would continue to support the Deputy Commandant General to succeed in his assignment.
The Omoku Police Area Commander, ACP Mahe Mohammed; and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Omoku Police Division, CSP John Landan, were among a host of other security chiefs and personalities that graced the occasion.