Environment
Forum Links Insecurity In West Africa To Global Warming
The present challenges of insecurity in the West Africa region has been linked to global warming.
This was one of the issues discussed at a security seminar organised by Coastal Awareness Initiative in Port Harcourt.
The seminar also warned against further vandalisation of oil and gas facilities in the region.
Representative of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Olufemi Adetimehin, said West Africa region will experience more crises until the issue of global warming was addressed.
Adetimehinwho’s topic was titled, Global warming in West African Global Communities, said most Rivers in West Africa are drying up.
He particularly said the Lake Chad has lost more than 80 percent of its capacities adding that the situation has led to mass job losses in the region.
According to him, fishing activities as well as farming have been affected by the situation of the Lake Chad
The expert also said the condition of the lake has led to mass migration of herder’s south ward which has resulted in clashes with farmers in the local Communities in the region.
He also said that the activities of terrorist groups have been boasted as more young people are being recruited by terrorist groups in the region.
He listed other effects of climate change in the region to include, food scarcity, increase in malaria infection and increase in sea level which poses threat to coastal communities.
Also speaking, representative of the Nigerian Navy S,O.Emiola said the Navy will improve its synergy with sister security Agencies to improve security on the water ways.
He however said the issues of security on the water ways should not be left alone to one agency.
Representative of the Nigerian Ports Authority called on boat drivers to avoid stormy weather, while use of navigational aid should be encouraged.
He also warned against overspeeding.
Also speaking, Commander Rivers Coast Guard, Captain Amari Godwin, said the event was part of the organization’s activities to sensitise communities on the importance of safety along the water ways.
Godwin said, his group was ready to collaborate with relevant organisations to ensure maritime safety in the state.
Earlier, the overall commander Coastal Awareness Initiative, Captain Chukwuemeka Ndubuisi, said the seminar was to sensitise communities on the dangers of pipeline vandalisation.
Ndubuisi said the event also aimed at promoting healthy and sustainable environment in the Nigerian territorial waters ways.
Also speaking, former councilor, ward four, Port Harcourt city, Mrs Blessings Okowu, urged for the establishment of the Rivers State Coast Guard.
By: John Bibor
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.