2020 And Rivers Environment

In a few hours from now, the entire world will bid goodbye to the year 2020, which in some circles is described as a twin year.
According to some social media influencers, Nostradamus, the great and revered futurist, had centuries ago predicted about a lady arising from the East and destroying a country of the 20 hills.
It is now accepted in some quarters that the so-called Nostradumus twine year is 2020, and the lady from the East is the Coronavirus popularly known as the COVID-19.
So, as the year 2020 comes to an end in the next few hours, what will the year be remembered for.
Of course, the advent of the Coronavirus pandemic is one thing that generations will talk about for a long time to come.
The Coronavirus pandemic is not peculiar to Rivers State alone, but Rivers State was shut down just like other parts of this world.
The economy of the state was badly affected and even the resurgence of the second wave of the virus is raising serious concerns among residents of the state.
In the year under review, the state joined the rest of the world to celebrate the World Earth Day. The World Earth Day is celebrated April every year across the world.
The World Toilet Day was also celebrated in Rivers State. The World Toilet Day is celebrated 19th November every year across the world.
The theme for this year’s celebration was “Sustainable Sanitation and Climate Change.”
In the area of the monthly environmental sanitation, a lot of activities also took place.
However, the greatest calamity of all proportions within the period under review was the issue of flooding.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the entire Orashi region of Rivers State was flooded this year as well as few local government areas in other parts of the state.
In Ahoada West Local Government Area, the entire Engenni Kingdom was submerged.
In Ubie Kingdom also in Ahoada West, most communities were submerged with one life reportedly lost, while in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, three lives were reportedly lost to the flood in Omoku community, while houses, farmlands and other properties worth millions of Naira were reportedly destroyed by the flood.
The situation was the same in Ndoni, Egbema, Egi, Abua/Odual and Ahoada East.
Flood also wreaked havoc in some coastal local government areas of Andoni, Opobo/Nkoro, Akuku Toru, Bonny and Asari Toru local government areas.
Also in the year under review, Rivers State Government took steps to check the proliferation of illegal oil refineries popularly known as “kpofire” with the view to checking the effect of the black soot.
A committee to workout modalities for the establishment of modular refineries was set up by the state government.
At a seminar, at the Delta Hotel, Port Harcourt, the committee explained that the proposed modular refineries, when established, will impart necessary skills to the people as well as curtail the damaging effect of the “kpofire” business which is not only illegal, but destructive to the environment.
It also urged those involved in the illegal business to form cooperatives to enable them benefit from government good intention in this direction.
Also in the year under review, the Rivers State Government signed a contract for the Obio/Akpor and Port Har-court Water Scheme, while the water project executed by the state government in conjunction with the European Union (EU) under the Niger Delta Support Scheme was commissioned at Opobo.
The state also joined in the celebration of the World Water Day.
Meanwhile, Rivers people have been speaking of their expectations in the environment sector in the upcoming New Year.
A cross section of Rivers people, who spoke in an interview with The Tide called on the government to be more proactive.
They called for regular sanitation exercises while the environmental aspect that concerns the COVID-19 protocols such as regular hand-washing with soap and running water be strictly enforced.
They also demanded for the dredging of the Orashi river to check the perennial flooding in that part of the local government area.
Speaking with The Tide, the former Chief Medical Director of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Dr Uriah Etawo said the people of Engenni and the entire Orashi region expect the Mbiama or Orashi river to be dredged.
Etawo said the perennial flooding in the area has cost the people lots of lives and property.
Also speaking, the Okan Ama of Ataba Kingdom, Andoni Local Government Area, King Benson Mgbowaji Egwenre said the kingdom expects both the state and federal governments to embark on shore protection in coastal communities in the state to check coastal erosion and flooding.
He spoke to The Tide during the distribution of relief materials by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to victims of this year’s flood disaster in the kingdom.
In his remarks, the Eze Igbu Ubie of Ubie Kingdom, Ahoada West Local Government Area, Eze Maxwell Okokiri said efforts should be made by the various levels of government in the country to end the perennial flooding in the area.
On his part, an Environmentalist, Miss Ene Blessing Digbani said a monitoring system to reduce pollution should be put in place.
According to her, government should put in place measures to ensure that carbon emission is reduced to World Health Organisation (WHO) standard.
“The biggest problem is climate change. So government should step up the game to fight climate change.”
The environmentalist also called for the Polluters Pay Principle to be applied in the case of corporate organisations which pollute the environment daily.
She called on the people to embrace renewable energy and stop the use of firewood as it is dangerous to the environment.
Also commenting, Prince Williams Chinwo, who is also an environmentalist called for planting of more trees in the upcoming year.
“I anticipate more tree planting, cleaning of the internal waterways or rivers, strict observation of sanitation laws to enforce domestic environmental protection and sanitary regulations,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs Nancy Iheduru said she expects more people to adhere to the State Waste Management Laws, as it is the only way to check wastage in the environment sector.
Iheduru also called for more enforcement against indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainages and water channels.