Restoration of 3000 hectares of shorelines in Ogoniland begins with 10 million mangrove seedlings to be planted

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, has disclosed that it has begun the restoration of over 3000 hectares of degraded shorelines in the ongoing cleanup project of Ogoniland. The project stated that it would in the process plant over 10 million seedlings of mangroves in the area, adding that the process is for mangrove restoration in Ogoni shorelines. The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, disclosed this in a statement in Port Harcourt to commemorate the 12th year of the United Nations Environmental Project Report on Ogoniland. Zabbey in the statement commended UNEP for the report and the Federal Government, especially President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his commitment to the implementation of the recommendations of the report. 

He said that UNEP has continually stood by the Project and provided technical support to the process, adding that the Shell Petroleum Development Company and its Joint Venture Partners have remained committed to making remittances to fund the Project. The PC noted that many milestones have been covered in the project, explaining that it has recorded significant success in implementation of the emergency measures including provision of water to 52 communities in Ogoni and livelihood support programmes for the communities. Zabbey noted that in remediation landmark achievements have also been recorded, adding that 36 lots have been fully remediated and certified as free of pollution by National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA.  He said “in remediation, we have made great progress. From the first contracts of twenty-one (21) lots in Phase 1 Batch 1 to twenty-nine (29) lots in Phase 1 Batch 2, We have closed out thirty-six (36) lots, while fourteen (14) lots are at different stages of completion.

“The phase 2 remediation of 39 medium-risk sites has commenced. In Phase 2 remediation, the scope of work includes site characterisation and remediation of both soil and groundwater. We have also mobilised 34 contractors for shoreline cleanup and 9 contractors to undertake mangrove planting on about 600 hectares of shorelines where oil content in the sediment has been reduced by natural attenuation to levels that mangroves can tolerate. We plan to restore three thousand (3,000) hectares of oil-degraded mangrove in Ogoniland. This will involve the planting of about 10 million mangrove seedlings, which will be the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves.” He, however, appealed to all stakeholders to drive efforts toward preventing oil spills in the region, even as he urged the youths to desist from artisanal oil refining that may re-impact the environment.