Environment
Centre Alerts On Pythons’ Extinction …Seeks Safeguards For Road Project
The Centre For Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) has said that the proposed 260 kilometre Calabar Super Highway project may lead to the extinction of the endemic double headed snake, known as Calabar ground python or Calabaria reinhardtii.
The centre which said this in a press release made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt said that the snake which was found only in Cross River State faces imminent extinction, if the project was allowed to go own without adequate safeguard on the environment.
According to the organization, “such projects should avoid biodiversity hot spots as it is presently conceived, while alternative routes are explored”.
It also urged the government to take stringent measures to protect and conserve existing biodiversity sanctuaries.
“Nationally, there is dire need to establish community based wildlife sanctuaries. Government needs to step up eco tourism policy and put the policy to practice, while funding research in that direction”, it said.
The release which was signed Dr. Kabari Sam, Head Environment and Conservation CEHRD also called on the citizenry and Governments at all levels to reflect on this year’s World Environment Day and take practical steps to prevent further loss of biodiversity and critical habitats and restore degraded ecosystem and redeemable species.
According to the group, the Niger Delta region where over fire decades of oil spills has left environmental and human rights abuses on the local population, requires intense efforts for environmental restoration.
The organisation also urged the government to begin the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on Ogoniland.
“CEHRD appreciates Government efforts at setting up the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), a ground truthing investigation of the sites investigated by UNEP should be on-going.
“This is not only necessary to incorporate new spiles sites, but to ascertain the current status of the sites investigated by UNEP given the dynamic nature of the environment.
“A ground breaking exercise will indicate Government readiness to sincerely clean-up Ogoniland”, release said.
President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs Margaret Oguntala, has inaugurated the construction of 18 units residential terrace in highbrow Alausa area of Lagos toward bridging the nation’s shelter gap.
Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has launched the 1GOV Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to enhance digital governance and improve service delivery.
The launch, held on Thursday in Abuja, marks the ministry’s transition from paper-based operations to a smart, integrated and technology-driven work environment.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said the deployment aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Utsev said the system would improve data management, streamline workflows and strengthen transparency and accountability across the ministry.
According to him, the ECMS will enhance productivity, preserve institutional memory and reduce operational costs in the ministry.
Launching the platform, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said the initiative is a major step in public sector reform.
She said the ministry’s mandate affects Nigerians through water supply, sanitation, irrigation, river basin development and climate resilience programmes.
Walson-Jack said the 1GOV ECMS enables secure digital records management, automated workflows, electronic approvals and real-time collaboration across MDAs.
She added that the deployment aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 and the directive for full digitalisation by December 2025.
“Effective governance cannot afford delays caused by manual bottlenecks or avoidable inefficiencies,” she said.
She directed that all official correspondence in the ministry must henceforth be processed through approved digital registry channels.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Emanso Umobong, said the system would eliminate workflow inefficiencies and improve service delivery.
She urged staff to fully adopt the platform and engage in continuous capacity building.
