Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, has announced plans to train the youths of Ogoni in several fields, as part of its livelihoods restoration project and programmes.
The programmes, according to the Project Cordinator of HYPREP, Dr Ferdinand Giadom,
will see to the training and preparing of Ogoni youths for the maritime and aviation sector, such as seafarers, aviators, amongst others.
Speaking in Port Harcourt during an interactive session with Ogoni youths, Giadom assured that the HYPREP would address the livelihood problem of Ogoni youths, while admitting that many Ogoni youths do not have a source of livelihoods as a result of environmental damages in the area.
He explained that the interactive session was imperative in order to hear from the youths concerning the project, especially on areas the Project was not going well, in order for solutions to move forward.
“We want to train 100 aviators, those that will work in the airline industry. We are going to start with air hostesses, ticketers, controllers. The proposal for this is at the state of finality.
“We also want to train 100 sea men. They will be sea farers. They will be train for up to 12 months on the sea. The proposal is also ready.
“We have set up a team that will visit Ogoni communities to identify small businesses that will be given support. It will be like a revolving fund.”
On the power project, the HYPREP boss assured that Ogoni will be connected to the national grid before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
He added that the project will create opportunities for electrical engineers from Ogoni ethnic nationality.
“Ogoni power projects is my flagship project. We want Ogoni to be linked to the national grid. This will improve our economy. A lot of people will go into businesses.
“The Minister of Environment has spoken to his counterparts in the Power Ministry. We want this to be commissioned before this administration winds down.
“The engineering design for this power projects is already ongoing. Very soon, a team of engineers will be in ground to begin the project.”
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