TheCable

The federal government says it will train 5000 youths on sustainable alternative livelihood as part of the implementation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) recommendations on the rehabilitation of Ogoniland. 

Mahmood Abubakar, minister of environment, said the government will also deliver on other recommendations including the provision of potable water to Ogoni communities and construction of a centre for environmental studies/remediation.

The minister said the construction of Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) offices is ongoing in four LGAs of Ogoniland.

He said: “With the recent reconstitution of the GC and BOT of HYPREP as approved by Mr. President, we are gaining speed, by pragmatically addressing other recommendations in the UNEP report including provision of potable water to Ogoni communities, training of youths for sustainable alternative livelihood (5000 in the plan), public health inventory, environmental surveillance and construction of centre of excellence for environmental studies/remediation.

“In addition, we are also constructing HYPREP area offices in each of the four (4) Local Government Area Councils in Ogoniland to bring the project closer to the benefiting communities.

“We are also in the process of engaging about 500 Ogoni youths across the 4 LGAs as special community security agents for the project.”

The minister said 18 lots of the remediation projects have been completed and certified by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) while five more are undergoing the certification process.

He said over 400 Ogoni women were trained in agribusiness under the sustained livelihood programme.

“I am happy to announce that under the sustainable alternative livelihood program, 400 Ogoni women were trained by UNITAR in agri-business and they have been constituted into cooperative groups to promote sustainability,” the minister said.

He added that the restoration of the mangrove vegetation is critical to the project to stop the repollution of remediated areas from oil spills and discharges.