TheCable

The ministry of environment has unveiled the application portal for the ‘Livelihood Programme’ under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).

Applications are open from August 16 till August 30.

HYPREP is focused on cleaning, remediating, and restoring polluted environments, not only in Ogoniland, but the rest of the Niger Delta and beyond.

According to the ministry, the project is guided by legal instruments and international obligations and is in line with a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report.

UNEP had earlier conducted an independent assessment of the environment and public health impact of oil contamination in Ogoniland, and options for remediation, at the request of the federal government.

The report revealed excess levels of hydrocarbon pollution in the groundwater across 41 sites.

The UNEP report also showed “highly degraded” wetlands and oil pollution in farmlands.

The ‘Livelihood Programme’ comes on the heels of a memo by President Muhammadu Buhari, dated April 28, 2022, directing the minister of environment to deliver on the Ogoniland clean-up with urgency.

Areas of training under the programme include mechatronics and instrumentation, creative arts, aviation, and seafaring.

Applicants are to expected to participate in one course as double applications will lead to automatic disqualification.

HYPREP advised candidates to be wary of scammers offering employment or contracts in relation to the project, adding that credible information is only available on the ministry’s dedicated portals.

Interested persons can access the application portal here.