A lot is expected of you to set the project back on track,accelerate action on deliverables,she tasks them

Seeks support for new HYPREP boss,Dr Giadom

By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA-STAKEHOLDERS in the Ogoni remediation project have begun a two-day retreat aimed at developing strategies that would lead to seamless operations in the ongoing cleanup exercise.

The maiden retreat for the Governing Structures of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project,HYPREP, comprising the Governing Council, Board of Trustees the Project Coordination Office, and the Central Representative Advisory Committee,CRAC,also had community leaders of Ogoniland as well as representative of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP.

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Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor,who declared the event open, Thursday, explained that the stakeholders were brought together to primarily familiarize themselves with their different roles and to also fine-tune same into a seamless operation for the project.

“The set goals and objectives, which is primarily to clean-up Ogoniland and provide the recommended deliverables as contained in the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP Report can be easily delivered when we act as a team with a single goal,”the minister said.

Charging participants that,”A lot is expected of you to set the project back on track and accelerate action on all deliverables in line with international best practice,”she tasked them to give their utmost attention to the discussions in the retreat and contribute meaningfully to its success.

The minister used the occasion to solicit support for the newly appointed Co-ordinator of HYPREP,noting that “Dr Giadom needs our collective support to succeed and his success is our success.”

She explained that,”UNEP is facilitating this retreat and will at the discussion session clarify the different roles of each of the arms as contained in the gazette establishing the project. “

“The Governing Council is empowered to manage and superintend the policies of HYPREP, provide the general policy guidelines relating to her functions. The Board of Trustees carry out financial oversight that ensures the use of financial controls, ensuring that funds are prudently utilized in accordance with established financial policies. The Project Coordination Office on the other hand is responsible for the overall execution of the project for which it was established, while the Central Representative Advisory Committee shall establish and maintain primary contact between HYPREP and the Ogoni communities.

“It is necessary to state at this point that though these functions are assigned individually but  are to be executed in synergy with each other to attain our goals and deliver on our mandate. No arm is to operate in isolation nor usurp the powers of the other or attempt to be a sole organ unto itself. We must at all times network, collaborate and inter-relate but within our limits as provided for in the gazette,” she explained.

She said,”For the last six months in the saddle as the supervising Minister of the Ministry of Environment and by extension the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, I had at one point or the other interacted with each of the arms of the Project but not all at once as the occasion of this day provides.”

“Also, for the period I have noticed that you are all trying to make  progress in each of your various areas of operation. Hence I identified the need for the establishment of synergy and complementarity for the various arms thus necessitating the convocation of this retreat. And this will enable us to collectively chart a new, more efficient way of delivering on the HYPREP project together,”she added.