The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has so far provided potable water to 30 Ogoni communities in Rivers State. This is particularly so as the Project joined the world to commemorate this year’s World Water Day.
Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who gave the indication in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, to mark this year’s World Water Day said the theme of this year’s celebration, “Glacier Preservation”, underscores the need to protect the world’s freshwater sources, which sustain ecosystems, support human life, and regulate the climate.
According to him, the theme specifically highlights the importance of preserving glaciers, a critical source of freshwater for millions of people worldwide.
“In our context, it also highlights the importance of protecting potable water sources, such as the operational water schemes and those under construction in Ogoniland,” he said, and stressed the need for citizens to safeguard the streams, lakes, wetlands, rivers, and groundwater to achieve access to sustainable clean water.
He said HYPREP also recognizes the importance of clean and safe water, particularly for the hydrocarbon-impacted communities in Ogoniland, adding that it has remained steadfast in implementing the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report recommendations for restoring contaminated water sources in Ogoniland.
According to him, HYPREP’s effort to provide potable water is a critical component of its mandate to remediate and restore the environment in Ogoniland.
Zabbey said HYPREP’s efforts in this regard include rehabilitating existing water infrastructure, establishing new facilities, including the recently commissioned facilities in Bunu and Beeri communities, and implementing sustainable water management strategies.
He noted that HYPREP also recognizes that access to clean water is a fundamental human right, and it is working tirelessly to ensure that communities in Ogoniland have access to this basic necessity, and hinted that as of today, 30 Ogoni communities have access to potable water.
According to him, HYPREP’s water projects are designed to provide sustainable solutions that meet the needs of impacted communities, as these projects continue to restore dignity, improve public health, and secure a better future for the people and residents of Ogoniland.
While reiterating HYPREP’s commitment to addressing the water challenges facing hydrocarbon-impacted communities in Ogoniland, the Project Coordinator called on all stakeholders, including government agencies, international organisations, community leaders, and other Niger Delta communities, to join the project in this effort.
According to him, “together, we can ensure that communities in Ogoniland have access to clean water and that the environment is protected for future generations.”
Zabbey, therefore, reaffirmed HYPREP’s commitment to environmental restoration and building structures for peace in Ogoniland, saying, “water is life, and together, we can ensure everyone in Ogoniland and beyond has access to clean, safe, and sustainable drinking water.”
“Let us unite to protect our water resources and secure a healthier future,” he pleaded.
