Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, has described Ogoni youths as the “backbone” of efforts to restore the environment in Ogoniland, marking them out as frontline drivers of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, clean-up recommendations.
Speaking in a statement to commemorate the 2025 International Youth Day, themed “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, HYPREP said the resilience, creativity, and leadership of Ogoni youths were central to the project’s success.
Enuolare Mba-Nwigoh, HYPREP Head of Communications in the statement lauded Ogoni youths for their roles in physically restoring polluted sites, promoting sustainable livelihoods, mobilizing communities, and championing digital advocacy.
The agency also noted that from clearing oil-impacted sites to engaging in construction works and driving narratives of hope through media, Ogoni youths had proved indispensable in the clean-up effort.
“As a project rooted in local communities, we recognize that the success of our interventions depends on the active participation and leadership of young people,” the statement read.
“The energy, creativity, and resilience of the Ogoni youth are helping to advance the Sustainable Development Goals far beyond ecosystem recovery towards inclusive growth and national unity.
“The role of Ogoni youths in implementing UNEP’s recommendations in Ogoniland cannot be overstated. Their contributions serve as a potent reminder that the SDGs are most effectively achieved when local youth are empowered to take ownership of the process.”
According to HYPREP, its programmes, including land and shoreline remediation, mangrove restoration, potable water projects, the Ogoni Power Project, specialist and cottage hospitals, livelihood schemes, and human capacity development, are strategically tailored to benefit a critical mass of Ogoni youths.
Highlighting inclusivity as a core principle, Mba-Nwigoh noted that the Project Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, established the Office of the Special Assistant on Women and Youth Development to ensure greater youth involvement in decision-making and implementation.
“HYPREP will continue to provide platforms and opportunities that empower Ogoni youths to enable them to fulfil their potential and contribute to nation-building. Capacity building, inclusiveness and empowerment remain key pillars of our strategy to strengthen youth participation.”
The project reiterated its commitment to training and skills development to enable young people to become skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, and advocates for sustainable development.
On the occasion of International Youth Day, HYPREP saluted “the courage, dedication, and vision” of Ogoni youths, calling for continued support from those at home and in the diaspora to achieve the project’s goals.
“We believe that as we work together, leveraging local youth actions and fostering inclusivity, we will achieve the goals of HYPREP,” the statement concluded.
