The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commenced an aviation training programme for Ogoni youths, with 19 beneficiaries set to undergo a six-week Cabin Crew training in Lagos.
The programme began with an orientation session and forms part of HYPREP’s livelihood initiative designed to equip Ogoni youths with high-demand and globally relevant skills. The training is expected to open new career pathways in the aviation industry while supporting socio-economic transformation within the Ogoni region.
Speaking during the orientation, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, congratulated the participants for successfully meeting the requirements for the programme and urged them to approach the training with dedication and discipline.
Describing the opportunity as life-changing, Prof. Zabbey told the beneficiaries, “This is the beginning of a new chapter in your lives in terms of building a career in the aviation industry.” He explained that the programme was designed to expose participants to professional standards required to compete in the aviation space.
He disclosed that HYPREP plans to roll out additional training programmes in other high-demand skill areas within the year, noting that the Project is driving what he described as a “gentle revolution” in Ogoni through positive impact on people and communities.
The Project Coordinator further charged the trainees to see themselves as critical agents of change in the ongoing restoration of Ogoni. According to him, the knowledge and skills they will acquire are expected to contribute to the broader economic impact HYPREP is pursuing, positioning Ogoni on the national and global map.
He emphasized that the participants are not only beneficiaries but also ambassadors, urging them to represent the Ogoni clean-up initiative positively wherever their careers may take them.
Also speaking, the Project Support Lead for Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd, Engr. Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, alongside the Head of Sustainable Livelihood at HYPREP, Mrs. Josephine Nzidee, encouraged the participants to take the training seriously to justify the investment made in them. Mrs. Nzidee stressed that certification would be strictly based on performance, noting that only participants who successfully complete and pass the training would be awarded certificates.
In his closing remarks, the Director of Technical Services, Professor Damian-Paul Aguiyi, reminded the trainees of the lasting value of education and skills acquisition. “Whatever you learn, whatever you acquire is yours; nobody can take it away from you,” he said, urging them to remain focused on the purpose of the training.
HYPREP had earlier trained 30 Ogoni youths in Phase One of its Aviation Programme. The current batch represents Phase Two of the initiative, reinforcing the Project’s commitment to empowering Ogoni youths with skills as part of its approach to development in the region.
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