Niger Delta in Danger of Going Extinct, Chief Clark Warns In an emotion laden voice, elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark has raised an alarm that the Niger Delta people are in danger of going extinct as a result of environmental degradation in the area. Chief Clark voiced this concern on Monday while contributing to the debate on the Report of the Environment Committee. The former minister of information who turned 87 on Sunday and was given a rousing birthday felicitation by the confab on Monday observes that the bane of wonderful recommendations is the willingness to implement them by those in authority. To buttress his point, Chief Clark takes the conference down memory lane and lists out some of the recommendations that successive governments have failed to implement to clean up the Niger Delta region, especially Ogoni land. He appeals to delegates to consider the plight of the people of the Niger Delta whose resources the whole nation is relying upon. His words, “We in the riverine area sit on top on water, but we have no water to drink. We have no water to take our bath. We have no water to cook. When I was young, all I needed to do was just to put a plate or pot inside the water and fishes will come inside it. But today, my people now eat ice fish which was never known in our area before the exploration of oil. That is what is happening today. The ecosystem is bad. There is nothing we have in our area again. No farm.” He continues, “I am pleading with this conference. Don’t think of your area alone. Don’t think of what you get from Section 162 of the constitution. Think of the areas this things (resources) are got. We need compensation. We need environmental development. Otherwise, we will be extinct while you are enjoying the oil money.” “Then what is going to happen?” Chief Clark asks rhetorically. Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee on Environment, Senator Eta-Giwa reads out her committee’s recommendation. The committee recommends that steps should be taken to carry out the integrated climate change policy. The committee reiterates that the country should invest in low carbon engines to reduce carbon emission. The committee recommended the adequate maintenance for the dams. On waste management, the committee recommended that a waste management commission should be established. While making contribution to the report, Hon. Justice Abdullahi Mustapha, (rtd) said every institution in Nigeria is asking for special courts because of the present delays in the system in our courts today. He remarked that instead the conference should look at recommending what they can do to reduce the delays in the trials before the criminal courts. He asked if the proposed environmental courts are to trial criminals. If so it, he argued that the present courts are capable of handling it. Dr. Abiola Akiyode Afolabi representing Civil Society emphasises that resource democracy is very critical in addressing the issues of environment. She adds two recommendations in respect to climate change: use of local and indigenous knowledge to communicate the effect of climate issue. Senator Ibrahim Idah argues that the issue of resource democracy should be expunged from the recommendation. Chief (Mrs.) Chidinma Uwajumoguidiman Onwagu from Imo State argues that the less we abuse the environment the better for us. According to her, “the collection of waster is as important as its disposals.” She reasons that Nigeria can actually export waste, saying that country like Sweden buys waste. She argues further that environmental waste can earn Nigeria foreign exchange, create employment and generate electricity. Mr. Aluko Daniel Steve argues that “we follow religion so much that we don’t follow religion injunctions.” He also says that, “if we don’t have environmental rights, you can’t have an ecology justice. If we lose the war on environment, we have a painful lesson to learn.” He said if countries like India, Indonesia and other country made ecological rights justiciable then we can do same. He stressed that resource democracy is not just about money but about the kind of economy activities that must happen in such an environment. After extensive debates, delegates agreed on the following: - Environment education should be included in the curriculum; - Matters relating to environment should be removed from exclusive list; - NISTRA act be amended to include the regulation of the Oil and Gas sector; - need to regulate special need for noise pollution; - need to incorporate gender into all national policy and environmental regulation should be removed; - Agencies in the sectors should produce disaggregated information/data on environmental issues in Nigeria; - environmental consultation departments should be created in local government; - Need to encourage dredging to diversify Nigerian ports. Other recommendations are: - need to make concrete recommendations to build deserts beds to reduce desertification; - UNEP report on Ogoni kingdom be implemented; - Government should rehabilitate, reconstruct and resettle areas affected with natural disasters; - Ecological funds should be domicile with the federal ministry of environment; - the need for green economy; - Hospitals in Nigeria should have incinerators for the purpose of waste management; - need to regulate electronic waste disposal; - The penalty for gas flaring should be paid to the community affected by the gas flaring instead of the federal government; - regulation to prohibit the use of asbestos in Nigeria; - Conservation clubs to be established in schools in Nigeria.
Posted on: Mon, 26 May 2014 22:34:41 +0000
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