Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, has sought the collaboration of stakeholders and communities in enhancing the ongoing clean-up of Ogoniland, opting for Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR, to address the challenges facing the project.
Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, listed the challenges facing the project to include community expectations, insecurity, artisanal refining, community boundary disputes, land ownership, chieftaincy tussles, court cases, among others, which he said have led, in some cases, to delays in the project execution.
Zabbey speaking at the Central Representative Advisory Committee, CRAC, and Zonal Representative Committee, ZRC, Retreat 2023, in Port Harcourt, said the retreat would evaluate project strategy of performance delivery and review its process mechanisms in order to accelerate the impacts of HYPREP work in Ogoni communities.
Speaking on the theme ‘Ogoni Oil-Spill Clean-up: Enhancing Community Collaborations and Connections for the Common Good’, the HYPREP boss urged members of the committees to work with communities towards reducing disputes and transforming the situation to a point of complete ownership of the project, noting that amicable resolution of conflict at the community level is essential.
He also lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, the Rivers State Government, the people of Ogoni, SPDC and JV Partners, UNEP, Niger Delta communities, civil society organizations, the media, and all others who have continued to support the project.
He said, “Nevertheless, the Project Coordination Office has ensured, through the efforts of CRAC, ZRC, and our partners, that matters are resolved for project activities to proceed. We continue to reach out to communities through sensitization programmes, town hall meetings, interactive sessions, and dispute resolution engagements.
“The issue that is central to this retreat is: how do we establish mechanisms for alternative dispute resolution in order to address current challenges? The recent significant expansion in project activities, which includes the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Remediation, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, the Cottage Hospital, the Ogoni Power Project, livelihood trainings, land remediation, shoreline remediation, and mangrove re-vegetation, has posed additional challenges that require workable solutions.
“We believe that the alternative dispute resolution training that has been made available to both committees is a necessary first step in this direction. It is our desire to see the domestication of mediation, neutral evaluation, and arbitration as strategies for conflict resolution on the project.
“The Federal Government, in its high wisdom and through the instrumentality of the HYPREP Gazette, endorsed the use of ADR as a means of resolving conflicts on the project. The reason is not far-fetched. Using ADR has a variety of benefits, depending on the type and the circumstances of the particular case. It saves time and money, preserves relationships, and increases satisfaction and control over the process as well as the outcome. We have a peculiar case in the HYPREP that requires that we promote ADR as an important tool in our engagements, which should be deployed accordingly.
“We have to find a way to protect the gains we have made and ensure that people are able to benefit from the progress we are making. That is why, for example, we put in place strategies that foster inclusiveness, fair benefit-sharing, and peace at the community level. We have to work together along these lines to ensure a more positive and sustainable outcome.”
Earlier, a guest speaker at the retreat, Engr. Vincent Nbani, noted that the aspirations for HYPREP’s triumph extend far beyond the Ogoni people, as the entire Niger Delta region pins its hopes on the success of the Ogoni remediation endeavour.
Nnadi said surmounting the challenges facing the project needs to start with a sense of ownership, urging the people of Ogoni to see the project as theirs and not merely a Federal Government or Shell initiative, while also urging HYPREP to forged partnerships, robust stakeholder engagements, capacity-building, and integrating community-based institutions into the project.
“The importance of periodic review in the trajectory of any project cannot be overstated. It is the bridge between Conception and execution, ensuring that the path remains true and focused. Much like a road, a project may deviate from its intended course without timelyvreviews. These reviews provide the vital space for recalibration, identification of gaps, and implementation of mitigative measures throughout the project’s lifecycle.
“HYPREP was envisioned as a trailblazer, setting the precedent for major clean-up efforts in the heavily polluted Niger Delta region. Projects of such magnitude are prone to stumbling blocks if robust stakeholder engagements are not ingrained in the execution process. When every stakeholder
harbours distinct visions and expectations, the outcome may deviate from the initial plan. Studies indicate that 73% of project delays stem from non-technical risks, including political factors and stakeholder management.
“These challenges can be surmounted by fostering strategic relationships at the grassroots level with local stakeholders. It is imperative to identify major risks and impacts and implement measures to mitigate risks and offset impacts. The weight of expectations, not just from the Ogoni people but from the entire Niger Delta, is palpable.”
