By Ikhili Ebalu Benin City
The Executive Director, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo,was Saturday honoured with the Award of Recongnition as Environmental Icon of the Year (for the Civil Society) for his unrelenting hard work and commitment, contributions to the advancement of humanity through activism, advocacy and research.
The award was given by Frontline Energy Environmental group with other environmentalists also receiving awards.
In a keynote lecture during the award-giving event and public enlightenment on current environmental issues to mark the World Environment Day 2021, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo made the case for a post petroleum economy for Nigeria.
He noted that Nigerians are not in harmony with themselves which is leading to more disharmony with nature. He pointed that “Nigeria is facing massive environmental degradation, deforestation, desertification and destruction of rural livelihoods.
In northern Nigeria, the shrinking of Lake Chad by 90 percent has contributed to climate change and desert encroachment that has impacted about 10 million farmers and pastoralists seeking for farmlands, grazing lands, vegetation and water. Communities in Zamfara state, northwest Nigeria, have been at the receiving end of environmental and public health crisis and violence with hundreds of locals dying from lead poisoning from gold mining with serious ecosystem disturbance.
He stated that, ” in southern Nigeria, environmental challenges of deforestation of tropical forests and mangroves, frequent oil spills and persistent gas flaring especially in the Niger Delta region where oil resources are located remains unabated.”
The groundbreaking report of the United Nation Environment Program (UNEP) on the environmental assessment of Ogoniland submitted to the Nigerian government in August 2011 confirms that the Ogoniland is a wrecked environment from hydrocarbon pollution and required an initial fund of US$1 billion within five years for the cleanup and remediation that would take up to 25 years.
The study further also confirmed that the underground water in Ogoniland which the people depend on is polluted 800 times above World Health Organization standards for potable drinking water.
These environmental problems contribute to climate change, ecosystem disturbance, and impoverishment of over 70 percent of the 200 million population depending on natural resources.”
On his part, the event host, Mr Sunny Duke, Frontline Energy and Environmental group (FEECS) noted that the essence of the programme was to create awareness on the current environmental degradation and their impact as well as recognize individuals whose immense contributions to humankind and the environment.
End.