In an effort to boost educational development in Ogoniland, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has offered scholarships to 300 Ogoni students for Masters and PhD. programs.
The scholarship award is one of the many interventionist programs by HYPREP, targeted to improve the wellbeing of ogoni people.
Speaking during the disbursement of a total grant of #200 million to the beneficiaries at the NAFOWA Multipurpose Hall in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey,
expressed joy and a deep sense of purpose as be welcomed the proud recipients.
“This initiative underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of Ogoniland,” he stated.
Professor Zabbey congratulated the scholarship recipients for their success in the Computer-Based Test and other screening exercises, emphasizing that their hard work and dedication have earned them this recognition.
“At HYPREP, we believe education is a transformative tool that can unlock new opportunities for oil-impacted communities in Ogoniland,” he added.
The Project Coordinator highlighted the importance of the selection process, which prioritized fairness, transparency, and inclusivity.
He encouraged the recipients to use their education to contribute to HYPREP’s ongoing environmental remediation and livelihood restoration efforts in Ogoniland.
“Discussing development without acknowledging the link between peace, progress, and prosperity is impossible,” he warned.
Zabbey urged the scholarship recipients to form clusters that facilitate peacebuilding initiatives, emphasizing that they must act as agents of change within their communities.
He also addressed the ongoing projects HYPREP is implementing, including soil and groundwater remediation, shoreline cleanup, and the construction of essential facilities like the Ogoni Specialist Hospital and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration.
“We are confident that a significant number of these projects will be completed this year,” he stated.
In her overview of HYPREP’s Livelihood Interventions for 2025,Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs. Josephine Nzidee announced plans to expand support to 2,000 farmers, significantly increasing from the previous year’s training of 200.
The project, she said, will also continue to support final-year undergraduate students and establish additional environmental groups to promote community education on environmental stewardship.
Speaking on the scholarship selection process, Programs Facilitator and Managing Drector of Pa’ed Motilings Consulting, Edward Baa provided insights into the rigorous selection, which began with sensitization and orientation, leading to an aptitude test and subsequent verification. “
Out of over 1,200 participants, we registered 837, with 766 showing up for the test,” Baa explained. He noted a successful spread of candidates across the four local government areas. As HYPREP continues its mission to restore Ogoniland, this scholarship initiative stands as a beacon of hope for the future, fostering education, peace, and sustainable development in the region.
