Environmentalists demand restoration of mangroves, reclamation of desert
Environmentalists have called for more efforts to restore the country’s depleting mangrove as well as the reclamation of the desert.
According to them, Nigeria has one-third of the entire mangroves in Africa but it is currently being degraded by human activities while the country is also losing about 351,000 hectares of its land mass to desert conditions annually.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation at its annual dinner tagged ‘Green Ball’, stated that there was a need to create awareness and seek support for its ‘Green Recovery Nigeria Initiative’, while focusing on restoration of the mangroves and reclaiming the desert.
The NCF said, “Nigeria has one-third of the entire mangroves in Africa. This is the largest in the continent and the third largest in the entire world. The Niger Delta mangroves are estimated to provide 60 per cent of the spawning grounds of fishes in West Africa. Mangroves absorb carbon and they determine the livelihood of the coastal dwellers. Nigerian Mangroves make up 40 per cent of the remaining original forests in Nigeria and cover 10,500 square kilometres.
“Mangrove degradation is being caused by oil pollution, firewood cutting, over-exploitation and sand filling among other factors.”
At the Green Ball, with the theme: ‘Green recovery Nigeria – Restoring the mangroves and reclaiming the desert’, held in Lagos, the NCF stated that along with other environmental non-Governmental Organisations, it had embarked on mangroves restoration projects to restore the country’s mangroves to at least 70 per cent of their original states.
It added that there was an urgent need for the rehabilitation of the mangroves ecosystem if they were to continue to render services to the country.
The foundation added, “The Nigerian Savannah covers 35 per cent of the total land area of the country. It caters for 35 million people inhabiting 11 states. A healthy Savannah ecosystem provides food, fiber and other valuable economic and social services. Nigeria is currently losing about 351,000 hectares of its land mass to desert conditions annually.
“Huge effort is needed to reclaim the desert so that current and future generations can benefit from the livelihood and ecosystem services provided by the Savannah.”
The President, Board of Trustees of the NCF, Chief Philip Asiodu, noted that despite the Federal Government’s declaration and policies on reclaiming the lost forest to at least 25 per cent as recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Nigeria was yet to achieve five per cent of this.
The Director General of the NCF, Dr Muhtari Aminu-Kano, said the degradation of pristine mangroves and desert caused by various human activities needed to be tackled with utmost urgency.
The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Mr Biodun Bamgboye, as special guest at the Green Ball, commended the NCF for the initiative and efforts so far in advocating for “re-greening Nigeria and various other conversation projects.”
The wife of the late head of state, General Murtala Muhammed, Mrs Ajoke Murtala-Muhammed, was given an Environmental Stewardship Award in recognition of her commitment to environmental sustainability in the country through the establishment of Botanic Gardens, poverty alleviation and promotion of sustainable development globally.
SOURCE: https://punchng.com/environmentalists-demand-restoration-of-mangroves-reclamation-of-desert/
