Precious Anga Lagos — The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, has begun developing a new five-year Strategic Plan for 2026–2031, with a focus on completing outstanding Ogoni cleanup projects, protecting restored ecosystems and preventing renewed pollution.
The Minister of Environment and Chairman of the HYPREP Governing Council, Balarabe Lawal, disclosed this during activities marking the 10th anniversary of the Ogoni Cleanup Programme in Rivers State.
Lawal said the plan would provide a clear framework for the next phase of the Federal Government’s intervention in Ogoniland, particularly by completing unfinished projects and strengthening community participation in protecting completed interventions.
“The plan will focus on completing outstanding interventions, sustaining restored ecosystems, preventing re-pollution and strengthening community ownership of completed projects,” he said.
The minister also said HYPREP’s post-remediation management and sustainability framework would be incorporated into the new plan to protect government and partner investments and ensure that completed projects continue to serve affected communities.
The development coincided with the commencement of the second phase of shoreline cleanup and mangrove restoration at Patrick Waterside, Bodo City, in Gokana Local Government Area. Lawal also unveiled the remodelled Ogoni Cleanup Plaque at the historic site, describing it as a lasting symbol of the government’s commitment to restoring the polluted environment.
HYPREP Project Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, said 1,420 certified community workers had benefited from the project’s livelihood and capacity-building interventions, while HYPREP’s wider activities had created more than 8,500 direct jobs for Ogoni youths and women.
Zabbey said the second phase of shoreline and mangrove restoration would expand efforts to rehabilitate degraded coastal ecosystems. He added that signs of ecological recovery, including the gradual return of fish and other aquatic species, were being observed in restored areas.
The coordinator said the Ogoni Mangrove Wetland’s designation as a Ramsar Site of International Importance in March 2026 further increased the responsibility of communities to protect the restored ecosystem. He urged residents to avoid indiscriminate mangrove cutting and overharvesting, warning that uncontrolled exploitation could reverse environmental gains.
HYPREP’s 10th-anniversary activities also featured the presentation of International Maritime Organisation and swimming certificates to 1,420 community workers, while certificates recognising the Ogoni Wetlands as a Ramsar Site of International Importance were presented to the chairmen of the four Ogoni local government areas.
