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SPOTLIGHT
- Partnership and public engagement are vital for environmental restoration
- Human activities have severely degraded the ecosystem
- The Rivers State government is taking steps to address flooding, erosion, and pollution
From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State government has underscored the importance of partnership and public engagement in environmental restoration efforts.
Speaking at an event commemorating World Environment Day 2024 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Commissioner for Environment, Tambari Sydney Gbara, highlighted the significance of this year’s theme, “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience,” stressing the need for collective action to address ecological challenges.
Gbara pointed out the detrimental effects of human activities on the environment, stating that pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss have severely impacted the ecosystem.
“Through human activities, our healthy lands have been turned into deserts, and our thriving ecosystem turned into dead zones. We are bringing forests and grasslands into extinction and reducing the land’s capacity to support the ecosystem, agricultural activities, and communities,” he said.
The commissioner emphasised the urgency of restoring the ecosystem through reforestation, marsh rehabilitation, and soil revitalisation. He highlighted the benefits of such efforts, including habitat creation, disaster mitigation, and economic growth.
Gbara acknowledged the specific environmental challenges facing Rivers State as a deltaic region, including flooding, erosion, and pollution from industrial activities and urbanisation. He outlined the state government’s efforts to mitigate these challenges, including shore protection, sand filling, and canalisation projects to protect vulnerable communities.
He reaffirmed the Rivers State government’s commitment to collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Environment and other relevant stakeholders to improve the environment.
“Let us refocus our mindset and take all necessary steps to restore our lands in order to eliminate desertification and drought, which are the focus of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on this year’s World Environment Day,” Gbara urged.
Professor Roseline Konya, former Commissioner for Environment and chairperson of the event, challenged politicians to prioritise environmental protection in their agendas.
“I am expecting our politicians during the next electioneering campaigns to tell us their programmes on how to preserve our environment,” she stated.
