Environment
AELN Inaugurates State Chapters, RSU Environmental Club
The Association of Environmental Lawyers of Nigeria (AELN) has inaugurated its 13 State Chapters and its Environmental Club in Rivers State University.
The inauguration ceremony, which attracted environmental lawyers and eminent personalities across the country was held at the Faculty of Law Auditorium of the Rivers State University in Port Harcourt last Thursday.
While the state chapters of the association, represented by the state chairmen, were inaugurated by the Chairman of the Advisory Council, Chief J.K. Gadzama, SAN, the RSU Environmental Club members were inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Nlerum Okogbule.
The National President of the association, Dr Samuel Chisa Dike said in a welcome address that the association was started in 2019 with the aim of “restoring and improving our environmental quality and consciousness for the growth of our society,” adding that the main objective of the body is to push the frontier of environmental consciousness at all levels with members of the legal profession taking the lead, consistent with the theme of the NBA’s 2021 Annual General Conference.
According to him, the organisation is purely a charitable and non-governmental organisation.
Dike further noted that AELN believes strongly that the issue of environment is everyone’s business, and therefore, advocates the idea of catching prospective environmental practitioners at the basic levels of primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions, stressing that the organisation has visited and established Environmental Clubs in more than 10 universities in the country and many secondary schools in Rivers State.
“ For those of us in Niger Delta region, and close to major extractive oil and gas industries, the level of environmental degradation, especially soot, from incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon has gone beyond national and international tolerable levels,” he said, and urged all hands to be on deck to deal with the challenges of environmental degradation.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof Nlerum Okogbule expressed delight that the institution is today offering Environmental Law as a course of study, and thanked members of AELN for the bold initiative of championing the cause of environmental consciousness in the institution and beyond.
He stressed that sensitisation was the key in advocating environmental cleanliness, adding that since assuming office as Vice Chancellor, his administration had demonstrated its commitment of keeping the university campus clean and green.
The Chairman of AELN’s Advisory Council, Chief J.K. Gadzama, SAN, said there has been growing global trends towards environmental consciousness and protection, pointing out that the association had over the years provided an opportunity for lawyers to contribute to the analysis of relevant issues affecting the environmental sector within Nigeria as well as globally with the aim of elevating the standard of the industry practice to its apex.
Gadzama stressed the need for decentralisation of the functions of the association by creating chapters and clubs, saying it is always the best thing to do when an association is growing, and expressed the hope that the new chapters of the association would advance the interest of the body and bring it closer to the people.
The event also featured the planting of trees by the Chairman of the Advisory Council, the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University and the National President of AELN.
Certificates of recognition and awards were presented to some personalities including the Vice Chancellor of RSU, Prof Nlerum Okogbule, a lecturer at the institution, Chief (Dr) Promise Onugbo Onuoha; Chief Whip of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Evans Bipi; a prominent politician in the state, Chief Isaac Wonwu, the Dean of the Faculty of Law of Rivers State University, Prof OVC Okene; among others for their support to the association.
The association also used the opportunity to launch its waste collection bins, aimed at keeping the environment clean.
By: Donatus Ebi
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.
