HYPREP to Upgrade Research Centre to International Standards

The Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey has revealed plans to replicate crcCARE, a renowned Australian research centre, in Ogoniland.

This was disclosed in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, following a visit to Ogoniland by Prof. Ravi Naidu, Managing Director of crcCARE and academic at the University of Newcastle, Australia.

“They have a functional centre at crcCARE, and we intend to replicate that same model here at the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) in Ogoniland,” Zabbey stated.

NAN reports that crcCARE is a collaborative initiative involving multiple organisations dedicated to developing innovative solutions for the prevention and remediation of soil, water, and air contamination, including the management of solid and liquid waste.

Zabbey emphasised that Naidu’s visit to CEER, located in Wiiyaakara, Khana Local Government Area, marks a critical step towards reducing conflict and agitation in the region.

“The centre will serve as a hub for multidisciplinary, cutting-edge research in environmental remediation, as well as provide practical training and job creation opportunities for local youth and women,” he added.

He commended Naidu’s contributions to the development of remediation technologies, including Permeable Reactive Barriers, one of the advanced techniques that will be utilised for restoring high-risk and complex sites.

According to Zabbey, HYPREP is currently developing a model for environmental cleanup in the Niger Delta and across Nigeria, and as such, strategic partnerships with reputable global industry players are essential for long-term sustainability.

He noted that collaboration with crcCARE, one of the world’s leading centres for environmental remediation is especially important, given the novelty of the Ogoni Clean-up initiative in the region.

The HYPREP Project Coordinator further stated that the partnership will offer targeted solutions to the environmental and socio-economic challenges in Ogoniland and Nigeria at large.

In his remarks, Prof. Naidu expressed confidence that CEER will continue to address environmental and public health issues arising from pollution exposure.

He confirmed that crcCARE will collaborate with HYPREP and CEER in areas including site assessment, characterisation, remediation, and capacity building.