Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, has said that full remediation has commenced on the 16 less complex oil-impacted sites in Ogoniland it handed over to contractors in January this year as it disclosed that only about 5 percent of Ogoniland was contaminated.
The agency revealed this as it opened fresh bids in order to engage 36 more contractors for the cleanup of oil-impacted sites in the area.
HYPREP said the aim of the additional 36 firms to the already mobilised companies was to effectively carry out the project in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, report.
Speaking in Port Harcourt, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Dr. Marvin Dekil, said the bidding is opened to as many companies to apply and that seven out of the 36 firms to be contracted would specialise in assessment for more detailed remediation.
He said: “We started the process of remediating the less impacted sites in Ogoni. These are sites we are using simple remediation options to clean. We started by awarding 21 lots and those companies are actively on site in the various LGAs. You can go and see for yourself.
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“In continuation of that, we have added 36 lots. This means that additional 36 will join those other 21 companies that are there and they actively will be doing different things. Out of those 36, we have seen that are going to be specialised in assessment on those sites and to allow for more detailed remediation option.
“Today is another milestone recorded in terms of the implementation of the remediation mandate on HYPREP. Soon we will be going into the complex sites.”
Dekil also explained that the process was internationally-competitive bidding as he said local companies are encouraged to apply in the bidding process.
