Niger Delta
Environmentalist Makes Case For Oceans Preservation
A renowned Environmentalist, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, on Monday called for concerted efforts by stakeholders to save the oceans from indiscriminate pollutions.
Bassey made the call in a statement by Miss Kome Odhomor, Media/Communication Lead, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF).
The environmentalist was speaking at a workshop at Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The Tide’s source reports that the workshop was jointly organised by HOMEF, NIOMR, and International Ocean Institute, Nigeria.
Bassey noted with concern that the Ocean had suffered indiscriminate pollution by uncontrolled human and industrial and extractive activities.
“We gather today to consider the state of our ocean, not as a commodity to be exploited, but as a common good that sustains life, livelihoods, our culture and spirituality.
“Our oceans are under siege, and the communities that depend on them bear the brunt of pollution, displacement, and human rights abuses.
“Across the coastline of Nigeria, community folks are being forced from their territories, deprived of their resources and left to grapple with the consequences of laxly regulated natural resource exploitation.
“The economic forces driving this destruction prioritize profit over people, extracting resources beyond the ocean’s capacity, and leave behind a trail of ecological devastation”, Bassey said.
According to him, the infrastructure of Nigeria’s economy begins at the shorelines and extends to the deep waters, where resources are extracted.
“The coastal communities who bear the pressures from the land and the sea remain trapped in poverty”, he said.
He explained that environment focused stakeholders cannot ignore the countless oil well blowouts that have polluted the waters.
“Akaso Well 4, Atanba, Bonny Terminal, Buguma Wellhead 008, Santa Barbara, and the ongoing inferno at Ororo Oil Well 1 at Awoye, Ondo State, which has been raging for close to five years now, among others.
“These disasters are ecological crimes that contribute to climate instability, and a worsening scarcity of land and water, placing entire communities and livelihoods at risk.
“We live with the struggles of fishermen and women who set out each day with their nets and baskets, only to find empty waters, enclosed and sacrificed for industrial dredging, multinational oil companies and corporate fishing.
“A Community like Aiyetoro with its history of well-organised governance and industrial strides is now a ghost of its former self.
“It is bashed and washed by unrelenting waves and left to grapple with unrelenting impacts of global warming and possibly heading for complete displacement unless we act”, Bassey noted.
The environmental rights crusader expressed concern over the plight of Makoko’s communities.
He noted that their rights to housing, food, and health had been trampled by forces that would be happy to have the people displaced so the waterfront can be grabbed by speculators.
He explained that the destruction of marine biodiversity disproportionately affects fishing communities, making them the most vulnerable to environmental degradation.
“Our fight to defend the ocean is inseparable from the fight for human rights and justice. We must resist the unchecked advances of transnational polluters in our ocean and demand accountability.
“We must protect our biodiversity, our land, and our water from the destructive forces of exploitative capitalism seeking to privatize the commons.
“It is time to rethink our relationship with nature, to take only what can be replenished and respect the delicate balance that sustains us all”, Bassey said.
He advocated that governments must act, not as enablers of destruction, but as stewards of the environment, ensuring that decisions about natural resources are made with the full participation of the communities who rely on them.
He said that Nigeria had signed so many conventions and treaties regarding the wellbeing of marine ecosystems.
He observed that the country even had designated Marine Protected Areas whose protection is disputable.
“Our constitution may be said to have a tilt towards ensuring the right to life, but there can be no right to life without the right to a safe environment.
“This workshop is more than a gathering, it is a platform for us all as oceanographers, marine scientists, government agencies, civil society organizations, and community leaders to reflect, strategize, and commit to the urgent task of defending our ocean.
“Coming on the heels of the International Wetlands Day, we use this opportunity to take a stand against so-called land reclamation which should rightly be named aquatic ecosystems conversion and grabbing.
“We have seen wetlands and dependent economies destroyed by urbanization and diverse speculators. We are also seeing swaths of the ocean and public beaches being converted into fenced housing estates or so-called superhighways.
“These disregard the fact that the state of the ocean directly affects the climate, reflects on the quality of our lives and the capacity of the Earth to maintain her cycles and support all beings”, Bassey stated.
He urged the participants at the workshop to seize the moment to build a future, where the ocean is protected, human rights are upheld, and coastline communities thrive.
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Niger Delta
NDDC Tasks Communities On Infrastructure Protection, Synergy … As Okpebholo, Snate HostComm Chair Praises NDDC’S Performance
Managing-Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has charged communities of the Niger Delta region on protection of infrastructure projects executed by the Commission in their domains.
He also urged community stakeholders to synergize with contractors and management of the commission towards ensuring that there is no impediment to the execution of contracts awarded to their communities.
Ogbuku stated these in his remarks as Co-host of the 67th edition of the “Eyal Obeyin” of his home town, Ayakoro, in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The Tide learnt that Ayakoro, home town of the Managing-Director/CEO of the NDDC, 67 years ago due to worsening floods and devastating erosion, relocated from their first settlement to their current settlement, directly opposite the old one for safety, hence the yearly cultural celebration to commemorate their exodus.
The NDDC helmsman, who also promised the agency’s continued desire to fasttrack the development of the Niger Delta region, commended President Bola Tinubu for his forthrightness and love for the region, noting that the NDDC under his stewardship would continue to execute policies and projects that would positively impact the region.
“Today, as MD/CEO of NDDC, I know, as a Commission, that whatever achievements we’ve made was due to your support as stakeholders of the Niger Delta region. But one thing I want to say is that communities should partner us by protecting infrastructure we’re building in their domains.
“Every community is in dare need of development, and so whatever development that comes your way should be jealously guarded.
“We also want communities to cooperate with our contractors by not making life difficult for them when they are in your places to execute projects. When you make life difficult for them, they’ll leave your communities and go to another site, and your communities will be the ones to suffer for it.
“We’ve good community relations policy. We’ve the Directorate of Community Relations. Any community that isn’t satisfied with any contractor should please come to us. We can handle their complaints, don’t frustrate contractors”, the NDDC MD adviced.
Meanwhile, the duo of the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and the Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial district/Chairman, Senate Committee on Host Communities, Senator Benson Agadaga, have commended the MD/CEO of the NDDC, for turning around the narratives of the commission.
Governor Okpebholo and the Federal lawmaker gave their commendations in their separate remarks, as Chairman of the occasion, and Special Guest of honour, respectively, at the 2025 edition of the “Eyal Obeyin” cultural celebration.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Delta State has emerged as one of the top four largest economies in Nigeria, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Kingsley Emu, has said.
Dr. Emu stated this in his keynote speech at the 2025 Public Lecture and Awards Ceremony of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Delta State Chapter, held in Asaba, yesterday.
He said the theme, “The Role of Professionals in the Successful Implementation of the Delta State Government MORE Agenda”, was apt and highlighted the state’s impressive growth trajectory, attributing it to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s strategic governance, infrastructural investments, and a thriving private sector.
Dr. Emu emphasized that Delta’s economic rise was a result of deliberate policies aimed at boosting agriculture, industrialization, and human capital development.
He said through prudent management of resources, investor-friendly policies, and a focus on key sectors such as oil and gas, manufacturing, and technology, Delta has solidified its place as a major economic hub in Nigeria.
He also pointed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration as a key driver of this success, citing initiatives such as the expansion of road networks, increased support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and the development of industrial parks across the state.
Dr. Emu added that the state’s strong contributions to the oil and gas sector, along with growing diversification efforts, have been critical in achieving this status.
“Whether you denominate in Naira or Dollar, Delta is the 4th largest economy in Nigeria and the highest oil producer in the country today.
“Oil revenue today accounts for only 48.7 percent of our GDP, Services and all others account for 51.25 percent.
“This tells you that even though oil and gas is our main revenue earner, services and others account for money.
“It means that as an economy, we are diversifying even though oil accounts for the highest revenue, it does not account in terms of provision of jobs for our people.
“Agriculture sector has grown year-on-year at 13.3 percent for over six years now, while services and manufacturing have also grown significantly.
“We have diversified and created huge jobs for our people totalling over 257,000 jobs and that is very significant”, he noted.
He said with this new ranking, Delta State is poised to attract more local and international investments, solidifying its role as a leading economic powerhouse in Nigeria.
According to him, Oborevwori’s administration has constructed over 500 roads with over 1500km and 933km of line drainages with massive contributions to job creation and poverty eradication.
“In 2020 we were rated the second least poor state in Nigeria only second to Lagos State. In 2022, the multi-dimensional poverty rating indices showed National average at 63 percent. Delta is 47 percent, placing 9th in the country.
“There are some jobs advertised in the country with some states applying more than Delta State and for me its another measure of poverty.
“It indicates that the people here have other choices, they have an option because if there were no options they would have taken those jobs.
“We have over 254,747 empowerments through multiple job creation channels. For every road construction, there is provision for jobs so the more we construct roads across the state, the more jobs we create.
“Physical and social infrastructure fertilises development. So, we will continue to construct more roads and other physical infrastructure across the state”, he said.
On why government is spending huge amounts on road infrastructure, Dr. Emu, said there is a huge infrastructure deficit running into trillions of dollars in Nigeria.
He said South Africa recently provided $54billion dollars for road infrastructure, adding that the problem is not peculiar to Nigeria alone.
“Physical infrastructure fertilises development, it inter links local areas to the urban centres and reduces rural-urban migration and gives room for expansion of businesses in all the hinterlands.
“Hence Government is spending huge amounts in building Trans Warri-Ode Itsekiri Road and bridges, the Ughelli-Asaba Expressway among others”, he noted.
Emu further said as professionals they have major roles to play in the development of the state and urged them to provide useful advise to government on how to develop the state.
In his welcome remark, Chairman APBN, Delta State Chapter, Surv. Victor Ezie, acknowledged the good works of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, especially on the Ughelli-Asaba Expressway, emphasising that the impact of his governance was resonating through out the State.
He congratulated Governor Oborevwori on his emergence as Governor of the year by THISDAY/ARISE News and urged the Governor to keep the flag flying even as he expects diversification of the state’s economy beyond oil dependence.
He called for more investments in non-oil sectors such as Agriculture, Technology, Industries, Commerce, Electricity, Transportation, mass housing, and tourism to ensure sustainable growth.
The Commissioner for Water Resources in Cross River State, Mr. Bassey Mensah, has said that aging water facilities was limiting the performance of the state’s Water Board.
Mensah said this recently in Calabar during a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the board to commemorate the World Water Day.
The Tide’s source reports that the theme for this year’s celebration is: “Glacier Preservation”.
The event comes up every March 22 to create awareness about water and inspire actions to tackle global water shortage.
The Commissioner expressed concern over how people still queue up at commercial borehole points to buy water due to the shortage of supply from the water board.
He said: “In the 1970s, we fetched from public pumps and there should be no reason for system failure that made it difficult for us to access portable water.
“Cross River saw ahead and established the best water facility in the nation but it could not manage it because of erratic power supply.
“We also have nine treatment plants.
“The Calabar plant alone can feed four other Local Government Areas (LGA) but the pipes laid 22 years ago are old and many had even been vandalised.”
Mensah continued that the State Government was taking steps to revive the water board by putting together a Cross River Water Bill, which has been passed by the House of Assembly and awaiting the governor’s assent.
He said immediately the water bill is assented to, the water commission would go into full implementation.
“This will disallow anyone to just drill borehole without proper assessment, which is dangerous to the environment,” he said.
Also, the General Manager, Cross River State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Mr. Sunday Oko, said providing potable water was gradually becoming a challenge, especially in the rural communities.
Oko described rural communities as the “national headquarters of open defecation”, which finds its way back into the water bodies that the people consume.
According to him, Obanliku LGA was the first to attain the Open Defecation Free status but things are gradually going bad again.
He said it was not enough to provide facilities but “the facilities need to be maintained by all and not vandalised”.
While appealing to the governor to assent to the water bill, he urged all hands to be on deck for the preservation and protection of potable drinking water.
“Activities like open defecation, excessive mining and many other activities inimical to the environment are also negatively affecting potable water supply, we need to stop,” he said.
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