Environment
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.
Some residents of Port Harcourt and its environs have reacted to the impending flooding in parts of the country, including Rivers state.
It would be recalled that the federal government last week predicted flooding in some states in the country, including Rivers State.
A cross session of residents who spoke to The Tide on the issue said time has come for residents to be careful about the way they managed their waste, especially at this time of the year.
According to them, people must avoid blocking water channels as well as indiscriminate dumping of waste into water channels.
Speaking with The Tide, an Environmentalist, Elder Blessing Jackson Tiko, called for caution by residents of Port Harcourt and its environs
Tiko who was a former deputy operational officer Phalga Environmental Sanitation Taskforce, said people must be conscious of the way and manner that they manage their waste.
“We know that we have the rain and if you watch it is coming especially this month of July,it would rain and rain and rain
“We have to be very conscious of how we manage our environmental system, the way we throw our waste and how we evacuate it so that every where will be open for water to move freely
“Water doesn’t want blockage, water wants free flow, ’he said
Tiko urged state governments to liaise with the federal government and development agencies to dredge and open up river channels to enable Water move freely.
He particularly called on the Niger Delta Basine Development Authority and the Niger Delta Development Commission to liaise with state governments in the quest to end flooding in the states.
Also speaking, Mrs. Alice. A. Alabo a trader at Mile 3 Port Harcourt, urged the state government to do something on the constant flooding at the Abuja bypass in Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt,
She said the bypass is always flooded at every little rainfalls stressing that something must be done about it.
Alabo also told The Tide Correspondents that the Abuja bypass has no receptacles and called on the management of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency to provide receptacles for the people, to ensure proper waste disposal in the area.
“The government should provide us with receptacles for us to properly place our waste which is causing the flooding in the area.
A shop owner Dickey, Livia Marko lemanted the incessant flooding along the Abuja bypass, adding that the situation is affecting their businesses.
“We have been begging the Rivers State Government and the local government to come to our aid.
“The Ego Line Progressive Union contributes N10,000 every year to make sure that we evacuate the drainage.
“We called the Hausa boys to come and clean from the beginning to the end of the tunnel which leads to the Interwoba
“So immediately after each rainfall within 10 minutes it will dry otherwise we cannot stay in our shop.
“I am begging the government to come to our rescue, even if they want to open the gutter or canal. It will help in preventing the flooding or they should clean the gutters starting from Ikwerre Road to the Interwoba axis”, he said
On his part,Mr. Ajaka Olawa, lamented that the flooding in Timber area by Abuja bypass area is so terrible that no businesses can easily be carried on in the area.
He blamed it on the continuous blockage of drainages
. “I can’t remember the last time the government came to clean the drainage, so when it rains we find it difficult to stay here.
“Some of our shops are wet because of the flooding. And if the rain falls heavily, we pack our goods. If not. they get damaged, and I am expecting this message to reach the government for them to do something about it”
“The people, the government gives the job are not being followed up, that’s why the road is still looking bad,
“The government is trying, but they should put more effort to make sure that the jobs are being carried out.
Also, Mr. Chukuma said, during the flooding along Abuja bypass by Timber, no activities take place.
He said that if rain falls, either little or heavy, none can use the road because the road will be inundated by water. Sometimes it takes two to three days for the water to dry.
According to him, eight years ago, the former governor was here to see things for himself, but nothing happened till he left office.
By: Victoria Gilbert / Ossia Victory
Following the rising impact of toxic waste in the Niger Delta communities in Nigeria, an Ecological Think Tank, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, has urged oil-producing communities in the region to monitor their environment and report incidents of pollution or other environmental hazards in real time to appropriate authorities.
The Project Manager, Communities and Culture, HOMEF, Cadmus Atake gave the advice last Friday during a Community Environmental Monitoring Training for the people of Nembe, Town-Brass in Bayelsa and Eastern Obolo, Akwa Ibom States respectively which was held in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Atake said though the extractive activities of oil companies have impacted negatively on the communities, the people still have a role to play in protecting the environment by not throwing plastics in the water bodies or engaging in activities inimical to the environment.
He said, “The purpose is to train the people on how they can monitor their environment that has been impacted by extractive activities, for them to observe the changes that occur in their environment and things they see when they go out to fish.”
Atake also harped on the need for documentation and reporting of the identified environmental challenges or pollution, saying that monitoring without reporting would be an effort in futility even as he tasked them with the accuracy, authenticity and originality of data without any mutilation.
He encouraged people to use mobile phones to take real-time photos and videos without editing the images in the case of pollution or oil spills.
His words, “Reporting is an essential aspect of any monitoring activity. It affords the opportunities to track the activity and its impacts. It makes an activity visible and draws attention to it. Also, it helps to identify associated risks and to know the required controls and learning outcomes needed to prevent the reoccurrence of failures of an activity. No monitoring exercise is complete without a report of observations and a point of action.
“You must identify what caused the pollution, state the name of the community and landmark and if possible, use GPS, time and date the pollution was observed.”
One of the participants, OmusuoDieworio from Bayelsa State noted that apart from the activities of the multinationals, the people have contributed to the disappearance of fishes in the rivers by dumping refuse and plastic wastes inside the river which posed a great threat to fishes even as he urged community leaders to promulgate laws prohibiting that and the youth leaders to ensure the enforcement.
“Our people should be sensitized on the hazards of toxic waste. We should put laws that are binding on us. Our fishermen should discipline themselves enough after drinking sachet water eating should not drop the waterproof inside the water. They should also be discouraged from using dynamite and other chemicals for fishing as all these are harmful to both the aquatic animals and human beings that will consume it.” He said.
Speaking on the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, UmoIsua-Ikoh of the Peace Pact Development Foundation, said the provision in the PIA where the community should forfeit its 3% development fund in case of pipeline vandalism criminalizes the community and should be expunged noting that no community will agree to vandalize pipeline but an individual or a criminal.
He said they should go after anyone who vandalises pipelines and not make the entire community bear the brunt of one person.
On his part, Stephen Oduware, the Program Manager at Fossil Politics, called on the communities to network with CSOs, CBOs, doctors, lawyers, media especially those from their communities and other community members who have the community at heart to advocate at all fronts.
“The community people should partner with CSOs, CBOs so that they will be able to advocate from all fronts from the health implication of this pollution from the legal and human right violations as a result of this pollution, land grabbing and then they will be able to get well-researched works from the academics, we believe that with this network they will be able to push for the justice they needed.” He said.
The Delta State Govern-
ment says it is working hard to tackle the issue of climate change in the state.
Special Adviser to the state Governor on Sustainable Development Goals) (SDGs, Lady Diana Eyo _Enoette, said this in an interview with newsmen during the launching of Green City Project in Port Harcourt.
She said the government was doing this by raising awareness on the impact of climate change in the State and also control the indiscriminate dumping of waste across the State.
Eye-Emoette said government has also setup scouts across the State to embark on tree planting campaign in all nooks and crannies of Delta State.
She said time has come for governments across the Niger Delta region to create more awareness on climate change, adding that continuous human activities in the region have made it vulnerable to climate change
Diana described her government as a leading voice on climate change as far as the Niger Delta region is concerned and stressed the need for other governments in the region to follow suit.
She said Green City’s initiatives have become a potent weapon in fighting climate change, stressing that the initiative is coming at the appropriate time.
The special advise said governments across the country should key into the green city’s projects inorder to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, a university teacher, Professor Magnus Onuoha, has called for conscious efforts by governments across Africa to check carbon emissions.
The university teacher also described the green city’s initiatives as a safe avenue for emerging cities in Africa.
Prof Onuoha, who spoke via videophone described the project as innovative, adding that climate change is real and no longer fallacies.
According to him “it is glaringly telling on our faces and the possibility of it going away is not there”.
He said.
By: John Bibor
