The Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, has reiterated that women will form 45 per cent of the workforce in the next round of projects in Ogoniland.
He said the aim was geared towards bridging the gap for women and the underserved communities including Ogoni persons living with disabilities in the Project.
Prof. Zabbey, who made the commitment while receiving Dr Otive Igbuzor, Founding Executive Director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development- Centre-LSD and some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at the Project Coordination Office in Port Harcourt.
He said HYPREP has increased women’s participation from 5% to 45%. He added that persons living with disabilities now have more stake in the Project as members will be undergoing training in 5 vocational skill sets including Fish farming, Basic computer, Photography, Fashion & Design and Shoe making following a Needs Assessment earlier conducted with its members.
The Project coordinator informed the visitors that the Project prioritises transparency, accountability and robust community and stakeholders engagement and welcomes useful feedback that will, noting that the visit would boost the vigour of HYPREP’s remediation effort and livelihood restoration in Ogoni. He reiterated the Project’s commitment to implementing all the recommendations of the UN Environment Programme tagged in post Report on Ogoni.e
He explained that HYPREP has achieved significant progress across key thematic areas including, land and ground water remediation, Shoreline remediation, Mangrove Restoration Project, Sustainable livelihood/Capacity Development, Provision of Potable Water, Constructions of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER), Ogoni Specialist Hospital, Buan Cottage Hospital, Ogoni Power Project, among others.
Specifically on the provision of potable water, the PC disclosed that the Project have completed another 5 water project in Eteo, Taabaa, Uegwere-Boue, Bodo and Bane which will be commissioned this August.
The HYPREP coordinator appealed to the Civil Society groups to support the Project by developing programmes around it in advocacy and sensitisation. He pointed out that the Project is partnering with local and international universities, institutions, communities and regulators to ensure it delivers a sustainable cleanup programme in Ogoni.
Earlier in his address, Dr Otive said the advocacy visit was a call for renewed commitment, collective responsibility and accountable action for the accelerated and transparent cleanup of Ogoni, the Niger Delta and the revamp of the ecosystem.
Pledging its readiness to partner with HYPREP through advocacy, monitoring and mobilisation, he expressed optimistic that more results will be achieved in the Ogoni cleanup with such collaboration.
