Environment
Stakeholders Task LG Boss On Wildlife Conservation
Some stakeholders in Andoni Local Government Area have called on the incoming Administration of the Local Government Area, to as a matter of urgency, consider for passage into by-law the draft legislator on wildlife conservation in Andoni.
It would be recalled that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had in 2019 submiad a Draft by-law on wildlife species conservation in Andoni to the outgoing administration in the area.
The draft by-law is titled: “Andoni Local Government wildlife species protection By-laws: The protection of a endangered flora and fauria Byelaw 2019.
According to the UNDP, the by-laws was aimed to provide for the conservation and management of Andoni Local Governments wild life and the protection of some of her endangered species due to over exploitation, habitat change or loss as required under the National Wildlife Species Protection Amendment Act 2015. It also said the document was in line with the convention on international trade in endangered species on wild faunia and flora (CITES), The convention on migratory species of wild animals (CMS) and her daughter agreement and protocols and the convention on Biological Diversity to which Nigeria a signatory”.
Speaking in a telephone interview with The Tide, some of the stakeholders regretted the non-implementation of the draft bill by the outgoing administration in the area.
They said, if this had been done, the continuous roaming of the elephants and other wildlife species in the area will have seen checked.
A youth leader, Mr Joshua Ngo told The Tide that the outgoing administration did not see the need for the creation of wildlife cluster, proposed by the organisation.
He said, if this had been done, the present problem being faced by inhabitants of the Andoni mainland over the continous roaming of some wildlife species, particularly the elephants would have been checked.
“Most Wildlife, like the elephants, are becoming a problem to the inhabitants.
“Government should consider a reserve to put in checks the movement of their Animals”, he said.
Also speaking, the chairman Community Development Committee (CDC), Ngo, Mr Clement Clement said tourism will be boasted if the draft legislation by the UNDP was implemented.
According to him, with the largest coastline and a large number of elephants and other animal species, Andoni Local Government Council and indeed Rivers State will reap bountifully from opportunities that will be created with the implementation of the draft by-laws.
It would be recalled that the outgoing Andoni Local Government Chairman, Paul Lawrence Paul, had in a recent interview blamed the non-take off of the proposed elephant cluster on the uncooperative attitude of officials of federal ministry of agriculture and forestry.
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.
Research shows that local communities and citizens living at the grassroots, particularly women, are directly impacted by the environmental degradation, flooding and others that result from these manifestations.
In the light of this, non-governmental organisation, Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development (EUFORDe), has held a forum for women and other members of oil impacted communities, tagged: ‘Voices from the Grassroots,’ and aimed at building their resilience and mitigation efforts against climate change and environmental degradation
The forum, with the theme: ‘Building Resilience for Oil Spill Impacted Ahoada Communities,’ organised with support from Global Green Grants, was held in Ahoada Community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, on December 5, 2025.
Executive Director of Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development, Mercy Elemchukwu-James, said women are at the forefront of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change and environmental degradation.
The event, therefore, was “designed for community women impacted by oil spills, flooding and other environmental degradation,” she said.
Community women were enlightened by resource persons on new opportunities for sustainable agricultural practices and water management techniques that cushion the impact of oil spills.
Lectures were also delivered on Self-care and Trauma-care, with focus on physical and mental health of the population, and increasing access to health-related resources and services; as well as on Food security and women’s critical role in decision making in oil spill and flood situations in communities
Elemchukwu-James pointed out that the event created a forum for stakeholders, civil society actors and others to dialogue on measures at advancing inclusive and sustainable livelihoods of community women.
She stressed the need for collaborative efforts towards achieving mitigation efforts, while underscoring EUFORDe’s commitment to “fostering partnerships as a critical driver for achieving a healthy community and sustainable development.”
Elemchukwu-James described participants’ design of ‘Community Resilience Plan,’ to manage and combat environmental degradation and crises, as part of achievements recorded at the event.
The forum also witnessed the launching of EUFORDs’ Center For Resilience and Rights.
“This center is established to build resilience as Trauma-Care for victims of environmental degradation, support for survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and a platform where victims of environmental injustice and other GBV cases can seek redress,” Elemchukwu-James said.
Participants celebrated the milestones achieved and charted a path toward greater impact in the coming years. They also described the event as “an inspiring and transformative experience.”
Elemchukwu-James said the awareness creation workshop “reaffirms EUFORDe’s mission to create an equitable society in which the rights and capacities of women, youth, children and underprivileged are integrated in the socio-economic planning and development of communities, for the attainment of equity and peace.
