– Demands inclusion of coastal communities in blue economy
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Stakeholders in the Niger Delta region have charged the Federal Government to urgently carryout the cleanup of the Niger Delta region, as well as the need for mangrove restoration and provision of shoreline protection.
This was part of a resolution reached during a workshop on the State of the Ocean/Gulf of Guinea, organized by Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Speaking, Executive Director of HOMEF, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, demanded inclusion of coastal communities in the blue economy, warning that their non-inclusion would have negative impacts on biodiversity and their socio-economic wellbeing.
Bassey while introducing the Global Ocean Hub for Human Rights, said the workshop was imperative to share knowledge and build capacity of participants for the task of protecting the world’s oceans water bodies.
He decried the continued polluting activities in the water bodies, including oil wellhead blowouts, burning of oil vessels, gas flaring and other anti-environment activities.
Noting that the oceans are getting warmer and faster than previously expected, Bassey called for urgent climate actions predicated on transiting away from fossil fuels dependence.
Also, a university don, Prof. Fidelis Allen, of the University of Port Harcourt stressed the need to care and protect the ocean environment.
“The governance process has been exclusive of the community, and this has caused a negative relationship between man and his environment. Policies usually exclude local community from the roles they can play in protecting the environment.
“For countries in the Gulf of Guinea, oil has been conceptualized as a national security issue, and the slide into oil economy have brought the thinking that without oil the world would end.
“Those who drive the oil economy are oblivious and they sideline the community, which is the victim in all of these.”
The Global Oceans Hub is envisioned as a global Centre of Excellence and a go-to authoritative source for up-to-date information on the state of the oceans, with particular focus on socio-economic and policy issues.
The Global Ocean Hub for Human Rights was initiated by the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights and the Institute for Human Rights and Business; members of the alliance include the Bergen Chamber of Commerce and the Danish Institute for Human Rights, while HOMEF hosts the secretariat in Africa.
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