Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The long-awaited Ogoni Power Project is set to transform the energy and business landscape of Ogoniland and beyond, as the Rivers State Government has pledged to handle the crucial distribution infrastructure needed to bring electricity to communities.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, disclosed this on Tuesday at the commissioning of a water projects built by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, in Beeri community in Gokana LGA and Bunu in Tai LGA of Rivers State.
Lawal emphasized that power remains key to the region’s development and that the project will benefit not only Ogoniland but also other parts of the state and beyond.
He said, “There is no development anywhere in the world without power. We strongly believe that the Ogoni Power Project will not only serve Ogoni but also extend benefits to neighboring communities,” Lawal stated.
He revealed that while the federal initiative focuses on power generation and transmission, the Rivers State Government has now committed to building the distribution lines, ensuring that the electricity generated reaches homes and businesses.
The minister highlighted the collaboration between HYPREP, the Rivers state government, traditional rulers, and local communities, stressing the need for Ogoni people to take ownership of the project.
“This is our project, and we must protect it. Once we do that, we can achieve even more,” he urged.
Beyond the power project, Lawal also visited ongoing environmental restoration efforts, including the rehabilitation of mangroves—an essential ecosystem for Ogoniland.
Also speaking, the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, assured that Rivers State has not been abandoned in the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
“Before now, people told me that HYPREP was not working. But since my visit in August 2024, I have observed for myself that HYPREP is working. I have been to the Centre of Excellence and other project sites in Ogoni.
“I have been told that this particular water project at Berri will benefit seven communities. As for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, Rivers is not a abandoned.”
For his part, the Senator representing Rivers South East in the National Assembly, Sen Barry Mpigi, lamented that there has been no legal framework backing HYPREP.
Mpigi assured to do whatsoever it takes to support Ogoni cleanup projects, also lamented over the boycott of Rivers State on the coastal highway project.
For his part, the lawmaker representing Gokana/Khana federal constituency, Hon Dumaneme Deekor, commended HYPREP for the planned provision of solar panels for the sustainability of the water projects.
Earlier, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, highlighted ongoing environmental restoration efforts, including the rehabilitation of mangroves, a critical ecosystem for the region.
Zabbey also praised Ogoni traditional rulers and community leaders for their role in addressing Ogoniland’s challenges, with a call for continued collaboration to ensure the success of both the water project and broader development programs.
