Following the urgent need to strengthen environmental restoration efforts and improve livelihoods for communities affected by oil pollution in Ogoni and Niger Delta states at large, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced collaboration with the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
Speaking, one of the Commission’s Directors in the Environmental Protection and Control Directorate, Dr. Henry Okokon, who spoke during an inspection tour to HYPREP’s remediation site in K-Dere and the Mangroves Restoration Project in Bomu, both in the Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, said that NDDC is committed to tackling environmental degradation in the region.
He further hinted that Ogoni, being an integral part of the Niger Delta, is not supposed to experience degradation of the environment, adding that the Commission must be actively involved in soil and groundwater remediation efforts, particularly in K-Dere, where contamination levels are high.
Also, Dr. Okokon revealed that NDDC’s major objective is to ensure the restoration of the mangrove ecosystem in Bomu and beyond, while expressing satisfaction with the progress made so far.
However, regardless of concerns about the effectiveness of HYPREP’s work, Okokon expressed satisfaction with what was seen on the ground during the inspection tour, assuring that the collaboration with HYPREP will enhance the ongoing environmental restoration efforts in Ogoni land.
In his explanation, the Project Consultant, Prof. Godwin Igile, observed that more than 50 percent of the remediation work at the Boobanabe K-Dere site has been completed, and this, according to him, marks a significant impact and progress in the clean-up efforts.
Responding, the HYPREP’s Director of Technical Services, Engr. Paul Aguiyi, enumerated the scale of the mangrove restoration project, tagging it “the largest revegetation exercise in the world.”
Aguiyi maintained that while HYPREP’s mandate is specific to Ogoni land, NDDC’s broader mandate covers the entire Niger Delta, making the collaboration essential for expanding environmental restoration across the region. He revealed that NDDC had previously financed HYPREP’s activities and reaffirmed the existing partnership between both agencies.
“Four to five states in the Niger Delta have mangroves that have been severely degraded due to oil exploration. By partnering with NDDC, we can replicate these restoration efforts beyond Ogoni land and create a healthier ecosystem for the entire region. There has always been a strong communication channel between HYPREP and NDDC. This visit allows the Commission to see first-hand what has been achieved in Ogoni land and explore how these efforts can be scaled up across the Niger Delta. The goal is to benefit HYPREP or Ogoni land and restore the entire region’s ecosystem,” he noted.
Speaking more, he made it known that over 1.2 million mangroves have been planted so far, with expectations that in the next five years, the full impact of these restoration projects will be fully appreciated. Also, he gave the assurance that the impact of these remediation efforts is already visible, as local fisherfolk have resumed their trade, benefiting from the revived ecosystem.
