A two-day joint retreat of the Governing Council of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and the Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated has ended in Akwa Ibom State.
The retreat was aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Ogoni Clean-up Programme in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report.
Speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Environment and Chairman of the HYPREP Governing Council, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the clean-up exercise. He called for stronger oversight, enhanced collaboration among stakeholders, and improved fund mobilization to ensure the successful delivery of projects.
On his part, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ogoni Trust Fund, Emma Deeyah, urged the Federal Government to make HYPREP a full-fledged government agency, noting that such a move would strengthen its operational capacity and guarantee long-term sustainability.
In a presentation of the Project Status Report, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, outlined key milestones achieved across several thematic areas of the clean-up programme.
The retreat is expected to provide a framework and serve as a model for environmental remediation efforts in other oil-impacted regions of the country.
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