For an effective operationalisation of its Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER), the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP) has brought together experts in a colloquium to brainstorm on the technical committee report submitted by Prof. Don Baridam and recently approved by the Honourable Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal.
In his welcome address, the Project Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, said the Centre of Excellence, which is already 95 per cent complete, will collaborate with other global institutions to serve as a referral point for quality research in remediation activities.
The Political officer at the Dutch Embassy in Nigeria, Mrs Anneloes Hoff, who was taken round the water pumping station in Eteo, the mangrove plantation at Bomu and the Campus of the Centre of Excellence Nwiyaakara in Khana LGA, said she is impressed with the facilities at the Campus, noting that it will further enhance the advancement of remediation in the future.
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In his keynote address Prof. Kirt Semple a researcher at the University of Lancaster after being taken round the Campus said he is optimistic as the Centre of Excellence in Ogoniland now gives him a clearer picture of exactly what the Center of Excellence provides, promising that he is now in a better position to convince the University of Lancaster and more global institutions to partner in research and development in global remediation programs
Professor Kirk Semple is known for his expertise in Environmental Microbiology and his role as the Director of International Research at Lancaster University.
His research focuses on pollutant-microbe interactions in soil, bioremediation, and the use of microorganisms for energy generation. He is also a leader in fostering international research collaborations and partnerships for the university.
The three-day colloquium, ongoing in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, is being attended by a team of professionals drawn from within and outside the country.
