Environment

WED: Challenges Of Coastal Erosion In Rivers

Published

12 years ago

June 16, 2014

Small Island Develop
ing States (SIDs), Raise Your Voice Not The Sea Level.”
That was the theme and sub-theme respectively of this year’s World Environment Day (WED).
The World Environment Day was introduced by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to draw global attention to the devastating impact of climate change on the environment.
For last year, the celebration had the theme; “Think, Eat, Save, Reduce Your Footprint,” while for this year. It is Small Island Developing States (SIDs).”
The significance of this year’s celebration was that attention was being focused on the environmental challenges confronting Small Island Nations, which are vulnerable to ocean surge.
Rivers State by its geographical location is a littoral state with small islands that are already feeling the effect of climate change.
Some of these islands in Rivers State are; Andoni, Bonny Okrika, Opobo and Kalabari among others.
The grand finale of the celebration in Rivers State which took place at the Alfred Diette Spiff Civic Centre was attended by corporate organisations and individuals.
Among the corporate organizations that attended the celebration included: the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), Indorama Nigeria Limited Nigeria Limited Natural Gas Liquefied (NLNG) and other international oil corporations (IOCs).
Also at the event were representatives of the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
Among personalities at the celebration include: Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, ably represented by the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment, Dr. Ipalibo Harry, Chairman, Rivers State House of Asssembly Committee on Environment, Hon. (Mrs) Victoria Nyeche, Professor Winston Bellgam, Dr Okikere Iragunima, Chief Medical Director, Rivers State Hospital Management Board, Dr Nyema Weli, Commissioner for Environment Rivers State and his health counterpart, Dr Sampson Parker, among others.
The Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Hon. Mrs Victoria Nyeche, in her opening remark said that, the theme for the celebration must be localised to reflect the environmental realities facing the state.
Hon Nyeche, who was chairman of the occasion, regretted that the World Environment Day celebration had become a yearly ritual without definite steps being taken by the authorities to address problems highlighted during celebration.
According to her, the objective of the celebration will be defeated, if the government fails to address it.
She, however, said that, the issue of saving our environment from pollution must be seen as a collective effort by all as the government alone cannot do it.
“There must be a resolution to do something to improve the environment,” she said.
Hon. Nyeche said that the Rivers State House of Assembly has taken steps to improve the environment especially with the passage of the Rivers State Waste Management Bill into law and urged the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to give his accent to the bill.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Nyema Weli said that the theme was to call attention of the international community to threat of sub mergence of coastal communities across the world, following the rising sea level.
Dr Weli said that Rivers State was not immune from this threat as tidal erosion was threatening the existence of many riverine communities in the state.
The commissioner, who attributed this situation to the anti-environmental activities of man, said that, time has come for the enactment of policies and programmes to check man’s activities on the environment.
Acording to him, “we have contributed to the problem of green house gases.”
“This is the time to remind all to reduce our carbon emission and cherished processes that encourage us to dispose our waste properly.”
He said that the ministry has proposed a new Rivers State Environmentla Management Bill to ensure sustainable environment for the state.
The commissioner also advocated tree planting exercise across the state to check tidal and other forms of erosion while environmentally friendly electronic gadgets must be used by homes across the State.
The State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment, Dr Ipalibo Harry, urged the Federal Government to treat the state as a special area in view of its vulnerability to ocean surge and other natural disasters.
Rt. Hon. Amaechi said that the state government has professionalised waste management system in the state, while increased budgetary allocation has been made to the Rivers State Minsitry of Environment.
He condemned the continous building on water right of ways by some residents of the State as well as the continous use of dynamites by fishermen.
The Governor urged Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) to wake up to their responsibilities of checking some anti-environmental practices in the state, such as the use of tyres to roast meat in abattoirs among others.
In his keynote address, Professor Winston Bellgam explained that Rivers State and the entire Niger Delta have peculiar environmental challenges that distinguishes them from the rest of the country.
Professor Bellgam said that time has come for the Nigerian government to put in place processes towards the development of the coastal areas.
A cross section of the people who attended the event said that the position of Hon. Victoria Nyeche, must be taken seriously in order to realise the objective of the celebration.
They also urged the government to give more attention to the problem of coastal communities as some of them would in the nearest future become extinct due to rising sea level.
It would be recalled that before the grand final, awareness campaign was carried out by the government in Bonny and Ngo, while a tree planting exercise was carried out at the Isaac Boro Park.

Cross section of participants at the 2014 World Environment Day celebration in Port Harcourt, recently.

Environment

MOSOP – Tinubu Not Sincere With Ogoni People For Oil Resumption

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of lacking sincerity in ongoing efforts to restart oil exploration in Ogoniland, insisting that key confidence-building promises remain unfulfilled.Gas price forecast

Spokesperson of the Anda Wai-Ogosu faction of MOSOP, Mr. Oscar Imeabe, made the allegation while speaking at the May stakeholders’ meeting organised by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, in Port Harcourt.

Imeabe said the Federal Government had failed to implement critical measures it earlier described as confidence-building steps toward the resumption of oil production in Ogoni land.

He specifically cited the Federal University of Environmental Technology in Ogoni, noting that although the institution commenced operations in September 2025, it had not received any operational funding from the Federal Government as of May 2026.

“Part of the confidence building measures by President Tinubu was the establishment of the Federal University of Environmental Technology in Ogoni. The school took off since September 2025, but as we speak, this is May 2026, the Federal Government has not released any funds for the running of that university,” Imeabe said.

“So where is the confidence building measures the president talked about?”

The MOSOP spokesman also referenced the legacy of environmental activism in the region, recalling the execution of Ogoni leader Ken Saro-Wiwa and others, and the longstanding grievances over environmental degradation and economic exclusion linked to oil production.Gas price forecast

“I want to also remind us that people like Ken Saro-Wiwa fought and died for this same oil operations in Ogoni. Oil was being pumped in thousands of barrels in Ogoni, while Ogoni communities remained impoverished and the environment degraded and devastated,” he added.

Imeabe stressed that MOSOP was not opposed to the resumption of oil production in Ogoni, but insisted that due process, inclusion, and community participation must be guaranteed.

“We are not against oil resumption in Ogoni, but we are saying that the right thing should be done. The people of Ogoni must be involved in the oil resumption process. The people of Ogoni must be part of oil production. The people of Ogoni must benefit from Ogoni oil,” he said.

He urged stakeholders and advisers within the Federal Government to prevail on President Tinubu to fulfil earlier commitments and rebuild trust with the Ogoni people before any restart of oil operations in the area.

By: Kiadum Edookor

Environment

FG Pledge Support For IOM To Address Climate Incuced In West And Central Africa

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has pledged support for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) initiative aimed at mobilising investment to address climate-induced migration in West and Central Africa.

The Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Lawal, made the commitment on Tuesday in Lagos at a regional conference organised by the IOM.

The Tide source reports that the conference was targeted at bridging the gap between climate change policy to the actual climate financing.

Lawal, who was represented by the Director of Climate Change in the ministry, Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe, said Nigeria would continue to support efforts to bridge the gap between climate policy and financing.

The conference with the theme: “Migration and Climate Action in West and Central Africa: From Policy Commitment to Climate Mobility Investment,” brought together policymakers, development partners and financial institutions.

Lawal said the region was facing increasing environmental pressures, including desertification in the Sahel, coastal erosion in the Gulf of Guinea and flooding across major river basins.

“As widely recognised, climate change acts as a threat multiplier, intensifying vulnerabilities and influencing migration decisions.

“However, we must shift our perspective. Mobility is not only a crisis to be managed, but also a form of adaptation and a pathway to resilience when properly harnessed,” he said.

The minister said Nigeria had taken proactive steps through its National Adaptation Plan, which provides a long-term framework for building resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate risks.

He said the plan prioritised climate-resilient agriculture, water resource management, disaster risk reduction, urban resilience, infrastructure and ecosystem-based adaptation.

Lawal added that Nigeria was integrating human mobility into its climate policy frameworks, recognising migration as a legitimate adaptation strategy rather than solely a consequence of failed adaptation.

He said the country’s approach aligned with the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change.

Lawal stressed the need for greater investment in climate finance, resilient infrastructure, livelihoods and stronger regional cooperation.

“Without adequate investment, policy commitments risk remaining aspirational,” he said.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with regional partners, development institutions and the private sector to strengthen climate mobility governance and institutional capacity.

In her opening remarks, the IOM Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Ms Sylvia Ekra, said climate change was already reshaping livelihoods, economies and migration patterns across the region.

She said more than two million people in West and Central Africa had already been displaced by disasters.

According to her, up to 32 million people in the region could be forced to move internally by 2050 if inclusive and effective climate action is not taken.

“Mobility is not only a crisis. It is also part of the solution, enabling people to adapt, manage risks and preserve livelihoods,” she said.

Ekra noted that while policy frameworks existed, responses remained fragmented and insufficient in scale.

She said the conference was significant because it brought together climate and migration stakeholders to jointly develop practical financing solutions.

Also speaking, the Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca, reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to supporting IOM activities in Nigeria and across West and Central Africa.

De Luca described the EU as one of the world’s largest funding partners in the area of migration and said it would continue to work closely with the IOM on climate and migration issues.

Environment

NGOs Task Media On Investing In Climate Literacy

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

Non Governmental Organisations in Abuja have urged media organisations to invest in climate literacy, aiming to move beyond basic weather reporting toward in-depth, solution-oriented journalism.

The NGOs made the call at a two-day Media Training Conference on “Climate Governance and Gender Mainstreaming in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Minamata Conventions”.

The Tide source reports that the training was organised by EnviroNews Advocacy & Campaigns for Sustainability (Endvocas) in collaboration with the Women Environmental Programme (WEP).

Rep. Sam Onuigbo, a former two-time member of the House of Representatives, said the media is a critical bridge between scientific knowledge and public action, necessitating specialised reporting to counter misinformation and drive accountability.

Onuigbo, who is also the sponsor of Nigeria’s Climate Change Act 2021, urged the media to also do investigative reports and have specialised environmental desks capable of sustaining informed public engagement.

“Journalism is the bridge between scientific knowledge and public consciousness.

“Scientists can publish reports, legislators can enact laws, and governments can formulate policies, but without journalists who translate technical realities into human understanding, public mobilisation becomes difficult.

“Climate journalism extends far beyond reporting temperature increases or covering international climate summits,” Onuigbo said.

According to him, Climate journalism involves holding governments accountable for climate commitments, investigating climate financing and environmental corruption and also to amplify the experiences of vulnerable communities.

“The Minamata Convention and Environmental Sustainability is beyond greenhouse gas emissions and rising temperatures.

“Environmental governance must also address toxic pollution and hazardous substances capable of threatening both human health and ecological sustainability.

“One of the most important international frameworks in this regard is the Minamata Convention on Mercury, adopted in 2013 and named after Minamata Bay in Japan where industrial mercury poisoning caused devastating health and environmental consequences.”

He stated that mercury pollution remains a major concern, particularly within artisanal and small-scale mining activities where unsafe mercury usage continues to contaminate water bodies, destroy ecosystems, and endanger human lives.

“The consequences include neurological disorders, developmental impairments, respiratory illnesses, and long-term ecological degradation.

“It is now a lived reality affecting communities across Nigeria and beyond. From devastating floods and desertification to food insecurity, displacement, shrinking water bodies, and rising temperatures.

“The consequences of climate disruption are already altering livelihoods and threatening national stability.

“Climate change is too large for one institution to solve alone. It demands a multistakeholder response involving legislatures, executives, the media, civil society, academia, the private sector, traditional institutions, women, and youths,” Onuigbo said.

Mr Michael Simire, Publisher of EnviroNews Nigeria, said that as climate impacts intensify across Nigeria, from devastating floods to heatwaves, biodiversity loss, and pollution, the need for informed, responsible, and gender responsive climate governance has never been more urgent.

“This is where the media stands tall.Journalists are not just storytellers; they are agenda setters, watchdogs, educators, and catalysts for change.

“The narratives you shape influence public perception, policy direction, and community action. When the media is empowered with knowledge, context, and clarity, society benefits from better governance, stronger advocacy, and more inclusive decision-making.

“Women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change and mercury pollution, yet their voices remain underrepresented in policy spaces.

“Integrating gender perspectives into climate and environmental reporting is not optional, it is essential for justice, equity, and effective solutions,” Simire said.

Mr Steve Abu, the National Network Coordinator, Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) said that in Nigeria and across Africa, climate change is no longer a headline about tomorrow, it is the reality people are surviving today.

“This is why the role of journalists, storytellers, editors, broadcasters, and digital creators has been more critical.

“It is the media that translates complexity into public understanding. It is the media that gives human faces to scientific statistics.

“It is the media that can transform climate conversations from conference halls into kitchen-table discussions across Africa.

Dr Priscilla Achakpa, Founder and Global Lead, Women Environmental Programme said that environmental communication must go beyond headlines.

“Across the world, climate change is no longer a distant threat. It is here with us. We see it in rising temperatures, devastating floods, prolonged droughts, food insecurity, displacement of communities, and growing threats to livelihoods and public health.

“These environmental crises are not just scientific or policy issues. They are human stories. They are economic stories. They are justice stories.

Achakpa added that the role of the media had never been more critical; the media is not merely a channel for information but a force for transformation.

“Without informed and consistent environmental reporting, many citizens may never fully understand the dangers of climate change or the hidden impacts of chemical pollution.

“We need reporting that helps citizens understand why flooding is becoming more frequent, Why heatwaves are intensifying, why unsafe mining practices and mercury exposure matter and why environmental policies should concern every Nigerian.

She emphasised that the fight against climate change and pollution cannot be won by governments alone.

“The stories you tell can influence national priorities.

The questions you ask can drive accountability.

The facts you publish can save lives. And the awareness you create can shape a more sustainable future.

“Because the future of our environment is ultimately the future of our people.

Together, let us amplify the voices for climate justice, environmental protection, and sustainable development,” Achakpa said.

Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe Director, Department of Climate Change in the Ministry of Environment, advocated gender responsive reporting as regards climate change.