FG Moves to Reset Ogoni Cleanup Governance After High-Level Retreat
By Naija Enquirer Staff
The Federal Government has concluded a high-level strategic retreat aimed at repositioning the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) for accelerated delivery of the Ogoni clean-up programme. Five ministers and top stakeholders endorsed tighter governance, funding reforms, and stronger institutional coordination.
The two-day joint retreat, held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, brought together members of HYPREP’s Governing Council and the Board of Trustees of the Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the presidential directive on fast-tracking the implementation of the UNEP Report on Ogoniland.
Minister of Environment and Chairman of HYPREP’s Governing Council, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, said the Federal Government had demonstrated renewed political will and now expected measurable outcomes from the project’s leadership.
“Both the Governing Council and the Board of Trustees must live up to their responsibilities of fund mobilisation and effective project monitoring,” Lawal said. “You must leverage this renewed commitment to ensure that HYPREP functions, and functions very well.”
Other ministers at the retreat included the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, represented by Dr. Enene Ambah; and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo.
The ministers reaffirmed government backing for the Ogoni clean-up and urged diversification of funding sources beyond statutory inflows. Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ogoni Trust Fund, Hon. Emma Deeyah, pushed for deeper institutional reforms, noting that long-term sustainability required a stronger legal framework.
“To sustain the gains recorded so far, HYPREP should be made a full-fledged agency of government,” Deeyah said. “There is also a need for a holistic implementation roadmap that clearly defines responsibilities and delivery timelines.”
Representing Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, operator of the Joint Venture, Mr. Igo Weli restated the company’s support for the clean-up programme while stressing accountability in fund utilisation.
“We remain committed to the success of the Ogoni Cleanup Programme and urge prudent application of funds to ensure value and impact,” Weli said.
Presenting the project status report, HYPREP Project Coordinator and Secretary of the Governing Council, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, detailed progress across key thematic areas including soil and shoreline remediation, mangrove restoration, potable water supply, livelihood support programmes, and public health interventions.
He also highlighted strategic projects such as the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration and the Ogoni Power Project, describing them as critical pillars of the broader remediation and development framework.
The retreat, themed “Strategic Governance for Sustainable Remediation of Oil-Impacted Environment,” featured technical sessions on policy development, performance evaluation, leadership and crisis management, fundraising strategies, and the statutory roles of the Governing Council and Board of Trustees.
Outcomes from the retreat are expected to shape policy direction, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and provide a clearer roadmap not only for accelerating the Ogoni clean-up but also for future remediation efforts across other oil-impacted regions of Nigeria.
