Environment

Sustaining Wildlife In Niger Delta

Published

9 years ago

June 20, 2016

The United Nations De
velopment Programme (UNDP) last year embarked on series of programmes to save the Niger Delta biodiversity resources from extinction.
The programme by the UNDP, no doubt is in line with the just concluded 2016 World Environment Day celebration.
It will be recalled that, the theme, for this year’s World Environment Day celebration was, “Fight Against Illegal Wildlife Trade” and the slogan is “Go Wild”.
The World Environment Day celebration was initiated by the United Nation (UN) to give a human face to environmental issues as well as empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development.
It will be noted that the theme for this year’s celebration follows the alarming rate of illegal wildlife trade across the world.
A release from the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) a copy obtained by The Tide, described wildlife trade as the commerce of products that are derived from non domesticated animals, eg plants usually extracted from their natural environment or raised under controlled conditions.
“It can involve the trade of living or dead individuals, tissues such as skins, bones or meat or other products”.
It must be noted that legal wildlife trade is regulated by the United Nations convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild fora and fara (CITES) with 170 member countries including Nigeria called parties.
Although illegal wildlife trade may not be common in the Niger Delta, but other environmental conditions have impacted negatively on the continuous existence of wildlife in Rivers State and other parts of the Niger Delta.
Available information obtained from civil society organizations indicates that environmental factors such as, oil pollution deforestation, bush burning and others have contributed to wildlife migration from the Niger Delta.
Some of the wildlife which are on the verge of extinction in the region are, the Niger Delta colobus, proco lobusepreni type of Red Monkey found in Nembe, Bayelsa State, the Hippopotamus, common in Bonny river but rarely seen these days, the Boa constrictor in Andoni and the Elephants also in Andoni.
Also on the verge of extinction are the Tortoise in Alode forest, Eleme, the Gorillas in Ogoni and even the periwinkles and the oyelsters.
The Commissioner for Environment, River State, Professor (Mrs) Roseline Konya, said that the state government will take some steps to preserve some of these wildlife from extinction. The commissioner, who delivered her address, during the celebration, said that government will also sensitise, various stakeholders, particularly, the public and private sector, the students, the teachers, the academia, the investors, civil society organisations (CSOs) non-governmental organisations the market women and men to make their input in the fight against illegal wildlife trade as stakeholders in one way or the other.
Professor Konya also said that, the government will evolve containment measures for the Elephants in the Andoni forest.
According to her, “in the Niger Delta and indeed Rivers State in areas like Oyoroketo, Illotombi Aywut, Obolo in Andoni local government area, elephants we are told move around in communities, sometimes ravaging crops of farmers.
“The ministry will collaborate with NGOs to contain these animals, attempting to preserve them” she said. The commissioner said that Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has approved the relocation of the Port Harcourt Zoo from Trans/Amadi to Greater Port Harcourt, while the present location will be turned to amusement park.
The National Second Vice President of the Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON) Envoy Sodienye A. Abere, described the celebration as unique in view of its relationship with wildlife.
Envoy Sodienye said that all international and local laws designed to curb illegal wildlife trade be implemented especially in the Niger Delta to save wildlife in the region from extinction.
“This year’s motto, “Go Wild for Life” is apt. Yes we need to be wild (which is the original nature) to save life”, he said.
For the chairman, Environmental Management Association of Nigeria Rivers State chapter, Chief Sao Selako, the world has a duty to protect our environment wildlife for sustainability.
Other environmentalist sits who also commented on the issue described wildlife as a part of existence that must be protected, stressing that for this to be achieved, the leadership must muster enough political will to implement laws relating to wildlife conservation.
The move by the Rivers State Government to protect wildlife in the state is a commendable one and efforts must be made to ensure its success.

Environment

Etche Community Blames Erosion on poor conditions of its Road

Published

1 week ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

Some stakeholders in Okoroagu community in the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers state have blamed the perennial erosion in the community on the poor conditions of their road.

They are therefore calling for the rehabilitation of their road.

They said this in an interview with The Tide, at okoroagu.

Speaking to The Tide,the Ochimba of Okoroagu community, Eze Marcus Amadi said the poor conditions of their road has retarded the growth and development of the community.

According to Eze Amadi,”The government has neglected us, they have forgotten about us, we have been writing letters to the government, both to the NDDC to come and repair our road for us, we are on our knees pleading to them to come help us out, at least they should just dredge the road for us”

Continuing he said”If the government comes today to repair our road, nobody will say they shouldn’t.

“Nobody will obstruct them. We have been shouting and crying that our road is not good, the road is affecting the community economically and socially in the sense that, there is no way we can carry our crops out because of erosion.

“Erosion have taken over the road, making it difficult for us to access other communities especially during rainfall you see people falling down and getting injured inside the river which we call Mmiri Ehe in our language, which reaches our waist line during raining season. Our people can not go to other market to sell their products due to the bad road”he said

Also speaking,Chairman Community Development Committee( CDC )Okoroagu , Hon. Elvis Nwaobasi decried the situation of the road, stressing that economic activities are being affected as movement of goods and services have gradually slowed down in the area.

” The road have affected our women so badly, they are no longer going to the other neighboring markets to sell their Agric produce because of the nature of the road.

“This road has also affected us in many ways, it has affected our educational system, security system, it has also affected our health system, because with the nature of that road, people cannot access our health facilities in the community, with the nature of that road, people cannot access our school, with nature of the road, people cannot come in and do business in our community, we cannot access the road because of the neglect of the road.

“People are using our road for excuses to come in and invest and do businesses. People who come to our market to buy our products are no longer coming because of the nature of the road.

” I am pleading with the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayig Fubara to please come to the aid of Okoroagu and repair our road. I am pleading with the Rivers State House of Assembly, we are suffering too much because of this road. We have been neglected and abandoned for years, the government should please come to our aid” he said.

Also the women leader of Okoroagu community, Mrs. Anthonia Nweke blamed some politicians from the area for abandoning the people of Okoroagu

“Our road has been abandoned, overlooked, with no attention, mostly the higher politicians of the place, we have been abandoned for years”

She also called on the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to come to their aid.

The Youth Leader of Okoroagu community, Comr. Ezekiel Michael Ikeh who also spoke to The Tide correspondent said the community has suffered so much losses because of the poor conditions of the road.

He said despite Okoroagu’s contributions to the wealth of the state and the nation, government has continued to neglect the people “Okoroagu as oil producing community shouldn’t have been suffering what they are suffering today”

By: Omasirichi Ogechi

Environment

UNEP REPORT: FG MOVES TO DESIGNATE OGONI WETLAND RAMSAR SITE

Published

1 week ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

In furtherance to the commitment of the Federal Government through the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation (HYPREP) to the full implementation of the recommendations of the UN Environment Programme Report on Ogoni Environment, the Project has commenced processes to designating Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site.

Labaran Ahmed, National Focal Point for Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance and Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Environment, who is leading the process for collection of field samples, said the move will converse biodiversity, enhance livelihood, attract ecotourism and further earn global recognition for Ogoni Wetlands.

The UNEP Report envisages that this would provide the Government with a roadmap for restoration and sustainable management of the Ogoni wetland, bring the site unto international among others.

Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, represented by Director Technical Services, Professor Damien-Paul Aguiyi said the project further attests to the Federal government’s commitment through HYPREP to implementing the UNEP Report simultaneously.

Nigeria is a signatory to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction(BBNJ) Agreement for how research on marine genetic resources must be conducted and documented, ensuring transparency and the equitable distribution of benefits.

Environment

Tribunal Acknowledges losses in Rare species Across the globe …urges for government Action

Published

1 week ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The international Right Tribunal has expressed concerned over the continuous loss of rare species across the world.

This was part of a declaration at the just concluded COP30 in Brazil to mark the close of its 6th international tribunal

. Governments and everyday people have been charged to acknowledge that nature has rights just as humans do, and that ecosystems deserve to exist, thrive, and bounce back.

The Tribunal noted that the loss of species is occurring at an alarming rate and that it is time to stop exploiting nature and start protecting it.

The Tribunal urged nations to write laws that protect rivers, forests, oceans, and to end ecocide, recognise and support Indigenous communities, who have always been the best caretakers of the land.

According to the declaration “We are all part of the Earth, an indivisible and living community of interrelated and interdependent beings with a common destiny but with different existential conditions and rights.

“The multiple crises we are experiencing are rooted in the economic, political, legal and social systems established by the industrial and growth-oriented cultures that dominate the world today, including capitalism, along with patriarchy, sexism, racism, and anthropocentrism.”

It was noted that the choice by the Brazilian government to host COP30 serves as a symbol of the importance of the Amazon. They denounced the current and future impacts of the expansion of the extractivist frontier, deforestation, fossil fuels and large-scale mining. It was urged that the Amazon, with its ecosystems, animal, plant species, and rich biodiversity, natural medicines and its vital and reproductive cycles, should be considered as a subject of rights together with the Indigenous Peoples, and other communities that inhabit it.

The co-president and judge of the tribunal, Nnimmo Bassey, while delivering the verdict, noted that the defence of the rights of Nature is the right way to carry out real climate action and that there is no climate justice without the rights of Nature.

The tribunal stressed the need to phase out fossil fuels and quickly move to renewable energy as a way that protects both communities and ecosystems from false solutions that merely benefit financial speculators and compound climate injustices. The Tribunal also urged the United Nations to adopt the pledge as a blueprint for international environmental law.

A copy of the declaration obtained by The Tide revealed that,Judges at the Tribunal included Ana Alfinito of Brazil, Nnimmo Bassey ( Nigeria), Enrique Viale (Argentina), Shannon Biggs (USA), Casey Camp Horinek (Ponca Nation, USA), Tom Goldtooth (USA), Princes Esmeralda (Belgium), Cormac Cullinan (South Africa), Patricia Gualings (Ecuador), Francesco Martone (Italy) Tzeporah Berman (USA), Ashish Katharine (India), Osprey Orielle Lake (USA), Pooven Moodley (South Africa) and Felicio Pontes (Brazil)