By Obinna Nwaoku, Port Harcourt 08 October 2023 | 5:12 am The Project Coordination Office (PCO) of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has lamented hiccups in the ongoing environmental cleanup in the four local councils that make up Ogoni ethic nationality of Rivers State. Ogoni cleanup The Project Coordination Office (PCO) of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has lamented hiccups in the ongoing environmental cleanup in the four local councils that make up Ogoni ethic nationality of Rivers State. HYPREP Project Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, made his observations during a retreat for the Central Representative Advisory Committee (CRAC) and Zonal Representative Committee (ZRC), which were set up by the project and saddled with the responsibility of enhancing community collaborations and connections on the project in Port Harcourt, yesterday. Zabbey, while highlighting the essence of the retreat tagged, ‘Ogoni Oil-Spill Clean-up: Enhancing Community Collaborations and Connections for the Common Good’ regretted that despite the intervention of the committees, the project continues to face various challenges, including community expectations, insecurity, artisanal refining, community boundary disputes, land ownership, chieftaincy tussles and court cases, which, in some cases, had delayed the project. He also pointed out that the expansion of the scope of the project has added strain to its pace. “The recent significant expansion in project activities, which includes the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Remediation, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, the Cottage Hospital, the Ogoni Power Project, livelihood trainings, land remediation, shoreline remediation and mangrove re-vegetation, has posed additional challenges that require workable solutions,” he explained. While disclosing the essence of the three-day retreat, the Project Coordinator stated that it was organised to establish mechanisms for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to address current challenges, adding that it would help to evaluate strategy of performance delivery and review process mechanisms to accelerate the impact of works in Ogoni communities. He, however, reiterated the Project’s commitment to exploring ADR options in tackling the challenges. “The Federal Government, in its high wisdom and through the instrumentality of the HYPREP Gazette, endorsed the use of ADR as a means of resolving conflicts on the project. The reason is not far-fetched. Using ADR has a variety of benefits, depending on the type and the circumstances of the particular case. It saves time and money, preserves relationships and increases satisfaction and control over the process as well as the outcome. We have a peculiar case in the HYPREP that requires that we promote ADR as an important tool in our engagements, which should be deployed accordingly,” he said. 42 mins ago Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has instituted a Scholarship Award scheme for 550 indigent students in Remo Federal Constituency of the state in honour of his late son, Gbemiga Abiodun, who died six years ago. 55 mins ago The Northern Defence Network (NDN) has called for the arrest of leaders of the ‘Kyari Must Go Now’ group so as to interrogate their motive in threatening to shutdown economic activities in the country by occupying strategic national assets if the Group… 56 mins ago The Project Coordination Office (PCO) of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has lamented hiccups in the ongoing environmental cleanup in the four local councils that make up Ogoni ethic nationality of Rivers State. 1 hour ago Following frequent accidents on major federal highways in the country that often result in loss of lives and property, as a result of their dilapidated state, Nigerians have called on the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to make good its promise of constructing durable roads. 1 hour ago The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issues flood alert to 13 states of the federation, asking them to immediately activate their emergency response systems. 1 hour ago The number of personal aides appointed by Adamawa State, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, has risen to 180. 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