Environment
2022 World Ocean Day: Revisiting Harmful Practices in Our Maritime Environment

Dianabasi Effiong writes that the 2022 World Ocean Day may have come and gone, however, the significance of this annual United Nations Day should be lost on the world. As António Guterres, UN Secretary General observed, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the objectives of the Paris Agreement on climate change, call for urgent need for collective action to revitalise the ocean and finding a new balance in humanity’s relationship with the marine environment.
The 2022 World Ocean Day, themed: “Revitalisation and Collective Action for the Ocean”, was celebrated on June 8 in some of Nigeria’s littoral states to raise awareness on the plight of oceans and the marine ecosystems they support.
Prescribing solutions to acts that inhibit beneficial relationship between man, his environment and the oceans, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, sets the tone, highlighting the importance of the oceans to the ecosystem.
He states: “It is time to realise that, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the objectives of the Paris Agreement on climate change, we urgently need collective action to revitalise the ocean, finding a new balance in our relationship with the marine environment.’’
The ocean, which transcends more than 70 per cent of the planet, remains humanity’s life source, sustenance and support base for every other organism globally
By producing no less than 50 per cent of the oxygen on planet, the ocean is home to most of the earth’s biodiversity; the main source of protein for more than a billion people around the world.
It is importance to our economy with an estimated 40 million people expected to be employed by ocean-based industries by 2030.
The ocean needs support in many ways; we can nourish the ocean, which we so much rely on, for it to continue to give us our needs.
In Nigeria, for instance, and countries with the Atlantic Ocean as their maritime domain, threats abound.
The African Atlantic coast is continually threatened by insecurity, smuggling, terrorism, transnational organised crime, maritime piracy, acute environmental challenges and their consequences on food security and humanity
However, the Federal Government assures of its resolve to ensure a peaceful maritime environment within its capabilities in collaboration with other countries.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, restates President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s resolve, in consonance with 22 other African Atlantic Countries, to drive peace, stability, security and shared prosperity in the ocean’s coastal area.
Onyeama asserts the commitment while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Rabat, Morocco, on the sideline of his presentation on the First Ministerial Conference of African Atlantic States in Rabat.
“We are going to set up the supporting framework for it. We are going to set up focal points, first of all in the ministry and then we will call an inter-ministerial meeting to then have a larger framework for cooperation.
“This will be done so that Nigeria’s involvement is institutionalised and made very clear and very concrete in terms of cooperating and charting a roadmap with the other countries,’’ he said.
The Kingdom of Morocco initiates the dialogue among the 23 countries along the Atlantic coast to tackle the threats and revive the resources of the area for shared prosperity.
The countries bordering the Atlantic include: Nigeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Cape Verde, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Cameroon.
Others are Sao Tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia and South Africa.
Similarly, Mr Akanbi Williams, Director, International Ocean Institute (IOI) in Nigeria, says Nigeria is promoting education, training and research to enhance the peaceful use of ocean space.
According to him, IOI- Nigeria has been promoting current issues in ocean governance including Blue Economy, Ocean Acidification, Climate Change, Food Security and Sustainable Trade, among others.
He says: “We are committed to creating awareness on issues such as marine pollution, oil pollution, over fishing and deep ocean mining.
“One of our major activities is the facilitation of Ocean literacy programmes through the education of the populace, especially students on the richness of the ocean and the need for its conservation.’’
He says the IOI-Nigeria operates at the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) with a number of staff and volunteer experts working towards these goals.
Also, an environmental rights focused organisation, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), calls for unified efforts by stakeholders to conserve and preserve water bodies and their biodiversity.
Its Director, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, at the 2022 World Ocean Day in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, says polluting the ocean is a direct threat to humanity, adding that intensified and collective actions be made to conserve and preserve the oceans.
He says it is obvious that industrial fishing, offshore exploration and exploitation, dumping of waste offshore and similar activities are the major drivers of pollutions and aquatic ecosystems destruction.
“We can only thrive when our oceans thrive. Polluting the ocean is a direct threat to humanity and polluters must not be allowed to divest without first accounting for their environmental sins,’’ Bassey says.
“It is necessary for citizens to have sober reflections on the state of oceans, seas, rivers and creeks as the world marked the 2022 ocean day.
“It is particularly important that individuals and local communities who have lived in harmony with these water bodies be recognised, supported, and learned from.
“Today, we mark the World Ocean Day from the banks of the river at Ogulagha community, Delta State, Nigeria.
“It is a day for dialogue with fishers and community people whose connection with the ocean, rivers, and creeks around them goes beyond livelihoods,’’ he states.
According to Bassey, the degraded condition of the community is a sad commentary on the despoliation of the Niger Delta and the Gulf of Guinea by oil exploration and exploitation.
He said: “Like many other extractive communities of the Niger Delta, Ogulagha community is incessantly impacted by oil spills and waste dumps that threaten not only the aquatic ecosystem but also the survival of the people.’’
Stakeholders and participants who marked the day in Port Harcourt also call for the protection of the ocean from all forms of threats, including oil pollution, plastics and every other form of wastes discharged daily into the ocean.
The Energy and Maritime Reporters (EMR) members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Port Harcourt, who organised the event to mark the day, expressed their regrets that the ocean was constantly threatened by the actions of man.
Dr Emi Membere-Otaji, the Chairman of Elschon Nigeria Limited, an oil servicing firm, restates at the occasion that about 90 per cent of global trade was through the oceans which also harbours all manner of plants and animals.
Membere-Otaji at the occassion, institues an award in Ocean Reporting, urging the media to drive efforts to protect the ocean.
He said: “There is energy and extractive industries going on in the oceans; largest quantities of oil are extracted in the waters and oceans.
“Nobody will tell your story for you, if you don’t. The Niger Delta is about the ocean and there is a lot to be said about this. We must tell our story
“I grew up in the Buguma waterfronts and related with the water very much. Life there is connected with water. My compound is the Otaji compound which is at the waterfront of Buguma.’’
He also highlights some loathly cultural practices in the maritime environment.
“`There are many bad cultural practices such as discharging waste into the water.
“In fact, we use refuse to fight erosion, to stop the steady encroachment of the water into the community.
“There is a balance in the ocean such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, etc. When imbalance occurs through pollution and other forces, it creates climate imbalance and climate change. Gas flare is one of such agents of oceanic imbalance.’’
Similarly, Ms Solari Inko-Tariah, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Focal Point for Ocean Literacy in Nigeria, urges everyone to be ocean literate to restore and conserve it for the present and future generations.
Inko-Tariah says there is need to revive what she calls “the declining state of the ocean health.
“We seem to be taking from the oceans than is required. Balance is needed. The ocean gives more than 50 per cent of the oxygen required by man. Let us be careful in exploiting and polluting the waters (Ocean).
“Understanding the influence of the ocean is key. Understand the link between the ocean and the society, the human community. Niger Delta people are yet to know the importance of the ocean,’’ she said.
Also, the South-South Zonal Coordinator, Nigerian Export Promotions Council, Mr Joe Itah, says the ocean remains very important in export promotions.
“The ocean is the main passage for export of goods and international trade. We operate a value chain system where one thing connects with the other. We appeal that all hands must be on deck to boost export trade.’’
The Chairman, Energy and Maritime Reporters’ Corps, Mr Martins Giadom, says the event is for maritime reporters and other journalists in Port Harcourt to interact with industry players to set an agenda for maritime sector reporting in the Niger Delta.
“EMR is our own attempt to create a specialisation in journalism practice in the Niger Delta.
“We sit in the hub of oil and gas industry and stand at the gateway to the ocean through the Gulf of Guinea, yet, we hardly lead in the narrative and coverage of the two critical sectors that carry Nigeria on their shoulders.”
Also, Chief Ernest Chinwo, the Chairman of the occasion and General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, urges journalists to firmly establish their presence in reporting the maritime, oil, gas and environment sector.
“We must say no to playing second fiddle in this area of journalism. We have not taken advantage of the environment, oil, gas sector to align our practice to this critical sector that is very huge.
“We should create a viable organisation, open a website on this sector to feed the world. We can earn from it because the world would see us as experts here.
“Let this conference not end here. The world is waiting for our coverage of the two subsectors, oil, gas, maritime,’’ Chinwo says.
In summary, the ocean has the capacity to `…Take You Down’ (drowning), in tune with the lyrics of the global music great, Gregory Abott, in his 1986 platinum single debut album, `Shake You Down’.
It also possesses the wherewithal to `…Give You All the Loving You Need’ (maritime resource). Let us, therefore, protect the oceans. (NANFeatures)
Environment
First Lady Seeks Lasting Solution to Eradicate Environmental Pollution

The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu has called for a lasting solution to eradicate environmental pollution caused by plastic wastes.
In her message to mark the year 2025 World Environment Day, with the theme ‘Ending Plastic Pollution’, in Abuja on Thursday, the first lady also advised people to curtail the way they consume food and drinks packaged in plastics.
“I join millions of Nigerians and the world in calling for urgent and united action to safeguard our environment.
Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, affecting our health, our environment, and our future.“In Nigeria, we must rise to this challenge by changing how we consume packaged food items and how we dispose of plastic containers and bags.
“I particularly want to speak to our youths, the leaders of tomorrow, be it in schools or within our neighborhoods, each of you has a role to play in creating a cleaner, healthier and greener Nigeria,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu had recently promised to introduce environmental solutions clubs to schools through her NGO, Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
“I want to use this opportunity to introduce our students to two programmes that the RHI will be launching soon.
“First is the Environment Club for Secondary School Students and the Environment Society for Students in Tertiary institutions nationwide to help us clean up our environment and grow more trees.
“Second is the “Flow with Confidence” for our girls in rural communities.
“This programme is to provide one year’s supply of disposable sanitary pads to our adolescent girls to support them to remain in school during their menstrual cycle,” She said.
NAN further reports that some of the functions of RHI environmental clubs in schools would include raising environmental awareness; fostering social and life skills; empowering students to take action and promoting sustainable behaviours.
The clubs can also enhance critical thinking and creativity, encourage healthy lifestyles, and strengthen communities.
The club would encourage students to participate in various environmental projects, like tree planting, recycling, and garden projects, gaining practical experience and deeper understanding.(NAN))
Environment
Billboard accident: Abia Govt. to Offset Victims’ Hospital Bills – ABSAA Official

Abia Government says it will offset the hospital bills of the Aba Billboard accident victims.
Mrs Victoria Onwubiko, Managing Director, Abia State Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSAA) made this known on Thursday in Aba at the Salad Market entrance, the site of the accident.
A big billboard fell on some passengers in five tricycles in Aba on Wednesday, following a boisterous wind, killing one person and injuring seven others.
Onwubiko said the governor had given the necessary approval for procedures regarding the victims’ treatment without hindrances.
“So, we are glad there are not going to be any more deaths; from what we have seen, the victims in the hospital are recovering and doing well.
“We understand that about eight persons were involved in the accident; five are at the Abia University Teaching Hospital, two have been discharged and one is died,” she said.
Onwubiko added that the governor had sent his Chief of Staff to the hospital for the proper management of the victims at ABSUTH, Aba.
According to her, there is no hoping that any one of them will go to the court as the state government is doing everything to take care of them.
He said ABSAA would ensure such accidents did not reoccur noting that henceforth the agency would inspect every advertising site in the state.
“We are going to ask the owners of sites like this to give us the technical drawings with which they built their sites.
“If we don’t see them, the bill board will come down for them to redo it to ensure safety,” she said.
The ABSAA MD said every site, whether high or low, which is not sound, will go down.
Mr Chinedu Nwibo, an eye-witness and a vulcaniser for tricycle operators, said there were seven persons at the entrance of the Salad Market on that Wednesday when the accident occurred.
“We were inside a little makeshift shop I had set up for my work when the rain started on Wednesday.
“The wind was very boisterous and some of the tricycle operators went into their tricycles to stay for the rain to stop.
“No sooner had they ran into their tricycles than a big iron pipe used to hoist a billboard fell on them.
“One Destiny Uguru, 27, from Izzi in Ebonyi state died from the accident while seven persons sustained injury,” he said.
Nwibo called on the government to come to the aid of the victims especially by replacing their tricycles.
“The man that lost his life has an expectant wife and two children,” he said. (NAN)
Environment
FG, Partners Urged to Act On Rangeland Conservation

The Federal Government and partners have been urged to take decisive action to protect and restore rangelands, safeguard pastoralist communities’ livelihoods, and enhance climate resilience in dryland regions.
The call was made in a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the 5th International Conference on Drylands.
The conference, themed ‘Promoting Sustainability and Resilience of Rangelands: Present and Future Outlooks’, was organised by the Centre for Dryland Agriculture at Bayero University in Kano and took place from May 6 to 8, 2025.
The three-day conference brought together over 300 participants, including scientists, researchers, policymakers, development partners, and private sector representatives.
The articipants urged governments to develop and implement comprehensive, participatory, and evidence-based legal frameworks prioritizing sustainable rangeland management.
These frameworks should recognise, protect, and support traditional knowledge and practices of pastoralists, ensuring equitable access to land and natural resources.
Secure land tenure and fair resource governance are crucial for promoting peaceful coexistence and preventing land-use conflicts.
The conference recognised the critical role of women and youths from pastoralist communities in driving resilience and sustainability.
The conference also called for increased investment in capacity building, active participation in decision-making processes, and support for income-generating opportunities and sustainable resource development projects.
The conference emphasised the need to scale up public and private sector investments in climate change adaptation strategies, sustainable land management technologies, and diversified livelihood initiatives.
These investments should be complemented by demand-driven research and the promotion of innovations that integrate indigenous knowledge with modern scientific approaches.
The conference urged international development partners and organisations to align their resources with the conference outcomes and enhance regional and global cooperation, particularly on transboundary issues.
The participants also advocated deeper engagement with global initiatives such as the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) and the Africa Soil Initiative.
The conference concluded that the alarming degradation of rangelands, threats to pastoralist livelihoods, and fragility of dryland ecosystems demand urgent, collaborative, and sustained action.
The participants emphasised that achieving healthy rangelands was key to food security, ecological balance, and peaceful coexistence.
The conference brought together participants from 11 African countries, 13 Nigerian states, 17 academic institutions, and several international organisations.
It created a rich platform for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and regional collaboration.( NAN)