By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), have held a joint technical meeting to proffer sustainable solutions to oil spills in Ogoni.
The meeting, which held at the Project Coordination office of HYPREP in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had top officials of the two agencies in attendance.
Speaking during the meeting, Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, emphasized the importance of joint technical meetings between NOSDRA and HYPREP.
Zabbey noted the importance of collaboration between the two agencies in addressing the environmental problems in the area.
The Project Coordinator said progress cannot be made on the project without intermittent joint technical meetings between the two establishments, assuring that effective conversations and consultations would continue to be held for the project to keep to the stipulated standards for a thorough land and shoreline remediation of Ogoni land as well as providing alternative livelihoods for the people.
Zabbey observed described the joint technical committee meeting as a very crucial platform for coordination, collaboration and alignment for the technical efforts in the ongoing remediation and restoration works that HYPREP is doing in Ogoniland, adding that NOSDRA has a national coverage in terms of first tier oil spill response and the responsibility of regulating HYPREP operations.
“So, it makes it even more pertinent to
come together to share our lessons and
come up with a framework that is
sustainable, that is coming from us,”
he stated.
Zabbey commended the NOSDRA technical team on their disposition to ensure harmony, success and sustainability of the project.
On his part, the Head of the NOSDRA technical team, Director, Planning Policy
Analysis and Research Department,
Dr. Olusola Samson, commended HYPREP on the successes made so far
on the project, explaining that such
feat could not have been possible
without an effective collaboration and
understanding amongst the various
stakeholders.
Samson said a NOSDRA/HYPREP relationship is not a regulatory and implementation situation, but that both institutions work as partners, urging both parties keep to their respective collaborative roles.
The Joint forum featured status
presentations by various operational
heads and HYPREP technical team,
particularly, update on ongoing remediation projects (soil and groundwater remediation, shoreline clean up, and mangrove restoration), while the NOSDRA technical team gave the oversight and monitoring update.
It also had strategic deliberations on short-term technical priorities, and alignment on key performance indicators and monitoring metrics.
