Two years ago, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey took the reins as Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), leading a remarkable journey of achievements. On Friday, June 20, 2025, he presented his scorecard to stakeholders during a ceremony at the Oak Park and Garden Event Center along Ken Saro-Wiwa Road in Port Harcourt.
Speaking on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Zabbey emphasized the event’s significance in reflecting on progress and fostering collaboration for the cleanup of oil-impacted environments in Ogoni.
He highlighted key achievements, including the remediation of numerous sites, the completion of potable water facilities, and advancements in healthcare infrastructure. Zabbey also addressed ongoing challenges such as misinformation and community disputes, urging stakeholders to maintain cooperation and dialogue.
The Project Coordinator reaffirmed HYPREP’s commitment to integrating peacebuilding with environmental restoration, emphasizing the community’s crucial role in ensuring the project’s success.
In his goodwill message at the occasion, the lawmaker representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Robinson Dekor lauded HYPREP’s progress, describing the agency as performing its duties with renewed vigor and passion.
Rt. Hon. Dekor, who is the House Committee on Host Communities, a committee overseeing the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), emphasized the importance of community ownership and responsibility for ongoing projects, urging especially the youth to utilize resources like laptops provided for empowerment rather than selling them.
He highlighted key achievements, including water provision, power projects, and environmental restoration efforts such as mangrove re-vegetation, noting that these initiatives are transforming Ogoni’s future and attracting investment.
Rt. Hon. Dum Dekor, a onetime Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly as well as Works Commissioner, also announced plans to introduce a bill to sustain HYPREP’s programs long-term, calling for collective support to ensure continued development in the region.
In his message, former Nigerian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Ambassador Orji Ngofa, commended HYPREP’s impactful work, describing the agency as “akin to a government for the region”.
Drawing from his diplomatic experience where Ogoni issues were prominent, Ngofa highlighted the global significance of the environmental and social challenges faced by Ogoni.
He praised HYPREP’s stakeholder engagement and urged for sustainability programs and local capacity building, especially in soil sustainability.
“HYPREP has a human face, evolving from its UNEP beginnings into a model of sustainable development,” Ngofa remarked with pride.
Delivering his goodwill message, the President of Kagote, Rt. Hon. Emma Deeyah, expressed gratitude to the leadership of HYPREP for their responsiveness and commitment to ongoing projects.
He highlighted the importance of collaboration, particularly praising the Project Coordinator for his dedication and listening skills, which have fostered trust and accountability.
Deeyah emphasized that the project’s success relies on community support and urged everyone to respect and recognize one another to strengthen their collective voice.
He acknowledged past challenges and the need for transparency in contract approvals, reminding attendees that this initiative could serve as a model for other regions facing similar issues.
In their separate speeches, a former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Professor Barineme Fakae, and the leader of Ogoni Mothers Union, Chief Hon. Priscilla Viikue echoed similar sentiments, describing HYPREP as a “legacy project” nearing 90% completion, calling for commitment beyond financial gains to secure national triumph.
Viikue highlighted the project’s positive impact on women and children through medical outreaches and healthcare facilities, including a 10,000-bed hospital, even as she urged greater inclusion of women in project committees and dismissed critics as envious detractors.
“Ogoni mothers and communities stand firmly behind HYPREP’s mission.”, she affirmed.
As the event concluded, she called for unity in pursuing further funding and the successful completion of critical projects, encouraging all to remain engaged and proactive for the betterment of their community.
