Professor of Conservation and Environmental Biology in the Rivers State University, Prof. Godfrey Akani has blamed oil multinationals and exploring companies for destroying natural resources and depleting the available ones.
Prof Akani made the revelation when he delivered the 64th inaugural lecture of the university on the topic, “Wildlife & Biodiversity conservation- An indispensable strategy for sustainable development”
The university don observed that some species were going extinct due to oil exploration and pollution.
Some of these natural resources include periwinkle, oysters and other edible mollusks which form part of the delicacy of the riverine and Niger Delta people.
He warned that, “if we don’t check this extinction it may lead to collapse of biodiversity. ”
Some of the activities of the oil firms that affect biodiversity he listed include, effluent discharge, gas flaring and leakages from ruptured pipelines.
According to him, biodiversity remains the bedrock of human subsistence, as it provides food and raw materials for production.
Akani further opined that oil exploration has created biodiversity crisis as a result many species are going extinct.
One way to reverse this trend he suggested is to have a policy of conservation.
He stressed that the policy of conservation protects the right of every specie to survive because of the role they play in sustaining biodiversity.
Earlier Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Blessing Didia has commended the research of Prof Akani.
He described the paper as thoroughly researched as it further affirms Akani as an academic of high standing.