Stakeholders and Regulators in the environment sector have urged the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to prioritize measures to prevent repollution of already remediated sites in Ogoniland.
This was disclosed at the third Quarterly Key Stakeholders and Regulators meeting held in Port Harcourt recently, which brought together representatives from federal and state ministries, regulatory agencies, and civil society organizations
The Stakeholders praised HYPREP’s transparency and engagement, noting that regular updates and site visits have enabled them to inform their opinions and share their perspectives with the wider world.
Regulators, who have various stages of engagement with the project, appreciated the access to information and the opportunity to provide input.
They also urged HYPREP to Provide sustainable economic opportunities to dissuade artisanal refining.
Even Distribution of Social Amenities and ensure equitable distribution of social amenities across Ogoniland.
Project Coordinator Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, represented by Director of Technical Services, Professor Damian-Paul Aguiyi, emphasized HYPREP’s commitment to transparency and collaborative partnership.
He noted that HYPREP identified artisanal refiners as a significant threat to project execution, as they can recontaminate remediated sites.
To mitigate this, he said the project designed alternative livelihood programmes targeting artisanal refineries, which have received positive feedback from stakeholders
“HYPREP remains an open book.We value stakeholder engagement and feedback for effective project delivery,” he said.
The stakeholders include, Federal Ministry of Environment, Rivers State Ministry of Environment, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) JV, Rivers State University (RSU), Centre for Human Right and Development (CEHRD), Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) and Society for Women and Youth Affairs (SWAYA).