PH Hosts National Environment Summit, Dec

Barring any last minute
changes, in programme, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital will host a National Environment Summit from December 6 to 7, 2016.
The summit is being organised by the Rivers State House of Assembly in collaboration with the Rivers State Ministry of Environment and the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA).
Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Hon. Christian Ahiakwo disclosed this at a Flood Awareness Stakeholders Forum in Port Harcourt.
Hon. Ahiakwo described the workshop as “a wakeup call aimed at changing and reviving our aged-long environmental dilapidated psyche for a better, safer and sustained environment.”
The lawmaker said that following a flood alert issued by the Nigerian Hydrological and Meteorological Agencies, Rivers State , given its position and location in the Niger Delta region became a State to be watched out for in the warning, adding tht presently some local government areas such as, Ahoada West, Ahaoda East and parts of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor were battling with the issue of flood.
Hon. Ahiakwo advocated for aggressive continuous environmental advocacy programme to all the 23 local government areas as well as the enforcement of relevant laws and regulations during project conceptions, execution, commissioning and decommissioning.
He also advocated for stiffer penalties for environmental degradation, violations, while creeks, canals and tributaries should be maintained regularly.
In his words, “urban and regional planning ministry is to ensure that all developmental projects meet all stipulated standards before approval and should also carry out constant supervision to ensure strict compliance.
“Indiscriminate sand filling of wetlands should be discouraged as a matter of policy.”
The lawmaker stressed the need for the Nigerian Meteorological and Hydrological Agencies to collaborate with the State Ministry of Environment to adopt effective disaster response to provide technology, tools and practices that enable the response organisation to systematically manage information from multiple choices and collaborate effectively to assist survivours, mitigate damage and help rebuild communities.

Mina Sam-Dekii