HYPREP Advances Ogoni Skills, Equip 100 Youths on Mechatronics, Aviation for Sustainable Livelihood
By Fatima Saka
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commenced a four-month mechatronics training programme for 100 Ogoni youths, marking a strategic shift toward high-end, globally competitive skills development under its sustainable livelihood initiative.
The training, which began on Monday at the Offshore Technology Institute of the University of Port Harcourt (Uniport), is designed to equip beneficiaries with advanced technical and digital competencies relevant to modern engineering and the evolving oil and gas industry.
Declaring the programme open, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, represented by the Director of Technical Services, Prof. Damian-Paul Aguiyi, said the initiative reflects HYPREP’s resolve to move Ogoni youths from low-level vocational skills to specialised, high-demand technical expertise.
He noted that the mechatronics programme is one of at least 10 advanced skills trainings being rolled out this year, underscoring the Project’s commitment to delivering lasting value to Ogoni communities.
Prof. Zabbey explained that the choice of Uniport’s Offshore Technology Institute and an experienced industry facilitator was deliberate, aimed at ensuring a blend of academic rigour, industry best practice and practical exposure. He urged the trainees to approach the opportunity with seriousness and discipline.
In his remarks, Uniport Vice Chancellor, Prof. Owunari A. Georgewill, commended HYPREP for investing in skills that are both economically viable and globally relevant, stressing that mechatronics offers wide application across several industries. He challenged the beneficiaries to demonstrate commitment and excellence throughout the training period.
The training consultant, Mr. Makozi Samuel, Managing Director of Competent Samco Technical Nigeria Limited, said the programme would combine classroom instruction with intensive hands-on sessions.
According to him, participants will be trained to develop innovative solutions to complex engineering problems, manage teams and projects in digital oil and gas environments, and uphold safety, environmental and ethical standards in professional practice.
Goodwill messages from traditional and industry stakeholders reinforced the importance of the programme. The Paramount Ruler of Ancient Barako Community, HRH Mene Kadilo Kabari, and Renaissance Africa Energy Company/JV representative in HYPREP, Engr. Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, highlighted the long-term career prospects of mechatronics and encouraged trainees to maximise the opportunity. Engr. Igbinomwanhia reaffirmed Renaissance’s commitment to the Ogoni Cleanup Programme and continued support for HYPREP’s human capacity development drive.
The orientation keynote lecture, delivered by Prof. Bourdillon O. Omijeh, National Coordinator of the Embedded AI Project in Nigeria, focused on the role of mechatronics in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, linking the training to emerging technologies and future industrial demands.
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Speaking on the programme’s broader impact, Head of Sustainable Livelihood at HYPREP, Mrs. Josephine Nzidee, said the Project remains committed to prioritising capacity development and value addition for Ogoni people through high-demand skills that enhance employability and entrepreneurship.
The 100 beneficiaries were selected through a Computer-Based Test conducted in February 2023. HYPREP disclosed that additional trainings in areas such as full-stack development, GIS and remote sensing, cybersecurity, rope access, commercial diving and underwater welding, mud logging and agricultural skills enhancement are planned for later in the year, with details to be announced through its official communication channels.
In complementing the mechatronics programme, HYPREP has also commenced another phase of its aviation skills training with 19 Ogoni youths selected for cabin crew operations. The beneficiaries, who have completed an orientation session, will undergo a six-week aviation training in Lagos, focusing on skills required in the rapidly expanding aviation industry.
Speaking at the aviation orientation, Prof. Zabbey congratulated the participants for meeting the selection criteria and urged them to approach the programme with seriousness and dedication. He described the initiative as part of a “gentle revolution” in Ogoni, noting that HYPREP’s interventions are increasingly yielding tangible benefits for individuals and communities.
“This is the beginning of a new chapter in your lives in terms of building a career in the aviation industry,” Zabbey said, adding that the trainees are expected to serve as ambassadors of the Ogoni clean-up, whose success stories would enhance the region’s economic visibility both nationally and globally.
Also speaking, Engr. Igbinomwanhia and the Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee, charged the aviation trainees to maximise the opportunity, with Mrs Nzidee stressing that only participants who successfully complete and pass the programme would be certified.
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In his closing remarks, Prof. Aguiyi reminded the beneficiaries that the skills and knowledge they acquire would remain permanent assets. “Whatever you learn, whatever you acquire is yours; nobody can take it away from you,” he said.
HYPREP disclosed that the 100 mechatronics trainees were selected through a Computer-Based Test conducted in February 2023. The Project added that it had earlier trained 30 Ogoni youths in the first phase of its aviation programme and plans to roll out additional high-demand skills trainings this year, including full-stack development, GIS and remote sensing, cybersecurity, rope access, commercial diving and underwater welding, mud logging and agricultural skills enhancement, with details to be communicated through its official channels.
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