The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has launched the second phase of its mangrove restoration initiative in Ogoniland with the training of community vanguards in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The exercise, which commenced recently, aims to equip local participants with modern techniques in mangrove nursery development, planting, and management to ensure high-quality supply for restoration contractors handling the expanded project.
Speaking during the training session, Mangrove Consultant and Facilitator, Professor Franklin Tanee, described the programme as vital to the long-term success of the mangrove restoration effort.
He said it builds on achievements from Phase One and seeks to boost community capacity for sustainable environmental recovery in the oil-impacted region.
“HYPREP remains fully committed to the mangrove restoration process. The impressive results from Phase One skills training in host communities have motivated us to deepen engagement with the people,” said Dr Uche Izuchukwu Uche, Mangrove Restoration Officer.
Dr Uche stressed that the project prioritises sustainability and genuine community ownership, ensuring locals play central roles in reviving degraded ecosystems devastated by decades of hydrocarbon pollution.
Participants selected from Gokana communities expressed appreciation for the opportunity, calling the training timely and highly impactful. Many said it would empower them to contribute meaningfully to restoring their ancestral lands and livelihoods tied to the mangrove forests.
The development comes amid HYPREP’s broader Ogoni clean-up drive, where Phase One mangrove restoration reportedly reached near-completion levels (around 94-99 per cent in earlier reports), with over a million seedlings planted and significant shoreline remediation progress.
The agency has consistently highlighted community involvement as key to preventing re-pollution and promoting alternative livelihoods in Ogoniland.
Stakeholders view the ongoing Phase Two training as a step toward lasting ecological and economic renewal in the Niger Delta hotspot.
