Reps Score HYPREP High On Ogoni Cleanup Project
The House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities has rated the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) at 80 per cent for its implementation of projects and programmes under the Federal Government’s Ogoni Cleanup Programme.
The assessment followed a two-day oversight visit by members of the committee to various HYPREP project sites in Ogoniland, Rivers State, where they inspected ongoing and completed interventions in environmental restoration, healthcare, potable water supply, power, livelihood development and job creation.
Chairman of the committee, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Deekor, who represents Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded by HYPREP, highlighting the project's interventions aimed at improving the livelihoods of Ogoni people and restoring the environment.
Among the projects inspected were the provision of solar-powered potable water facilities, livelihood training for 2,400 Ogoni women and youths, the Ogoni Power Project, the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER), environmental remediation sites and mangrove restoration projects.
The committee also acknowledged HYPREP's investments in healthcare infrastructure and skills development, noting that the interventions were delivering tangible benefits to host communities.
Deekor said the oversight visit provided lawmakers with an opportunity to assess HYPREP's activities firsthand and evaluate the impact of the cleanup programme on the people of Ogoniland.
He urged Ogoni communities to take ownership of the infrastructure and opportunities provided through the programme, protect the facilities and maximise their benefits. He also called on individuals spreading misinformation about HYPREP's performance to desist from discrediting the project's efforts.
The committee further disclosed plans to collaborate with the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Environment and HYPREP, to initiate legislation that would provide a stronger legal framework for the sustainable cleanup of Ogoniland and other oil-impacted communities across Nigeria.
It also pledged to address the lingering concerns surrounding the fenced-off remediation site in Ogale, one of the communities affected by hydrocarbon pollution.
Speaking during the visit, HYPREP Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, commended the lawmakers for assessing the project's activities and acknowledging the progress made so far.
He said the committee's assessment would further motivate the project coordination office and its various teams to intensify efforts towards delivering on the mandate of the Ogoni Cleanup Programme.
Zabbey stressed that the responsibility of restoring Ogoniland extended beyond the present generation, noting that the project must also safeguard the environment and livelihoods of future generations.
He reaffirmed HYPREP's commitment to implementing all components of the cleanup programme, adding that the restoration of degraded ecosystems and the delivery of critical infrastructure remained central to its mandate.
During the inspection, committee members also called for sustained funding and greater contributions from companies responsible for oil pollution in the Niger Delta.
They maintained that, despite the progress recorded, significant work remained to be done, particularly in addressing complex remediation sites and expanding mangrove restoration across affected communities.
The lawmakers observed that the re-emergence of mangroves, the return of fishing activities to some waterways and the development of critical infrastructure were encouraging signs of environmental recovery in Ogoniland.
They urged community members to participate actively in the restoration process, particularly through the protection and maintenance of mangrove forests and other environmental assets.
Projects inspected during the two-day visit included the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, the Ogoni Power Project, the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital, the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan, the K-Dere Water Station, the ongoing Yeghe Water Station, mangrove restoration sites in Bomu and Bodo, and the Model Primary Health Centre in Onne.
The delegation also visited livelihood training centres in Port Harcourt, where beneficiaries are receiving training in software development, animation and cybersecurity, as well as a land remediation site in Ogale.
The committee's visit comes amid ongoing efforts to address the environmental damage caused by decades of oil exploration and production in Ogoniland, with HYPREP implementing interventions focused on environmental remediation, ecosystem restoration, healthcare, water supply and economic empowerment.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the inspection of the mangrove restoration site in Bomu, Professor Zabbey met with Miss Earth Nigeria 2026, Suoyo Enenimiete Mercy, whose advocacy focuses on restoring and protecting Nigeria's mangrove ecosystems.
The engagement highlighted the importance of partnerships and public participation in protecting mangroves, which play a critical role in supporting biodiversity, sustaining fisheries and protecting coastal communities.
The oversight visit reaffirmed the National Assembly's commitment to monitoring the implementation of the Ogoni Cleanup Programme, while underscoring the need for sustained collaboration among the Federal Government, HYPREP, oil companies and host communities to ensure the long-term success of environmental restoration efforts in Ogoniland.
