Climate Change in Nigeria's Niger Delta Region: AFRIHEALTH Raises Alarm

 Climate Change in the Nigeria's Niger Delta Region: AFRIHEALTH Raises Alarm

 -          Uzodinma Adirieje

 

The Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA) - winner of SDG 3 – Good Health & Wellbeing Champion Award is a CSOs global Network & Think-tank exploring the nexus between Health (UHC, PHC, HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria, NTDs, NCDs, Vaccines, & COVID-19); Biodiversity, Environment, Ecosystems, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Conservation, and Climate Change; Nutrition/micronutrients and Food Security; Gender, Democracy, Good Governance, and Human Rights. AHOA promotes sustainable citizen participation (SCP) to address, prevent and mitigate disasters, wars, escalation of weapons, global warming, famine, water shortage, floods, epidemics/pandemics, diseases, poverty, capacity challenges, food security, radioactive contamination, electromagnetic field (EMF) risks to life, cyber risks, economics, governance, gender-based violence (GBV), violence against women and girls (VAWG), environmental and social impact assessments, risks management, and cross-generational resource challenges.   AHOA is in Consultative Status at UN ECOSOC, and an Accredited Observer status at the UNEP/UNEA; and is the lead/focal organization for the nascent Global Consortium of Civil Society and Non-State Actors on Climate Change and Conference of Parties (GCSCCC).

           

The Niger Delta comprises the nine coastal southern Nigerian states of Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom and Cross River. A number of militant groups operate in the area. Their inhabitants and citizens demand an improvement of the conditions in the region and protest against its environmental degradation due mainly to oil exploitation and climate change. The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. The Niger Delta is a very densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil before the climate crises. The area was the British Oil Rivers Protectorate from 1885 until 1893, when it was expanded and became the Niger Coast Protectorate. It is a petroleum-rich region and has been the center of international concern over extensive pollution which is often used as an example of ecocide. The principal cause is major oil spills by multinational corporations of the petroleum industry. The Niger Delta covers about 70,000 km2 (27,000 sq miles) and makes up 7.5% of Nigeria's land mass. 

Following a series of investigations, consultations, conversations and interventions, the Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA) at this moment raises the alarm for the attention of the Governments and People of Nigeria, and the International Community, on the devastations being recked on the Niger Delta region, by the climate change crises.

From Port Harcourt, Ahoada, Emoha, Opobo, Eleme, Boro (all in Rivers State), to Ndiya in Ikono, Akwa Ibom State; from Aiyetoro in Ilaje LGA of Ondo State to Iwerehkan Community in Ughelli South Local Government of Delta State; from Emereoke Kingdoms in Eastern Obolo LGA and Oron in Akwa Ibom State to all Oko towns along the River Niger in Oshimili South LGA of Delta State; the climate change crises has left in its wake, tears, fears, crimes, destructions, injuries, deaths, poverty, loss of animal and plant lives, hunger, food insecurity/crises, loss of cultural heritage/artifacts, loss of flora and fauna, incredible desolation, internally displaced populations/persons, and virtually irrecoverable loss of opportunities to achieve the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We are deeply concerned about the devastating effects of climate change on communities in the region, including rising sea levels, flooding, and pollution, and the need for increased awareness and advocacy. The challenges faced by the affected communities include joblessness, hunger, and food insecurity, thus necessitating very urgent broad community adaptation strategies and collaboration to provide solutions.  

AHOA is concerned that rising sea levels and “soot” have continued to severely affect the health and livelihoods of communities in Rivers State (Port Harcourt) and Akwa Ibom States, covering houses, food, and water sources. Dike mentioned the effects of climate change in the Eastern Obolo local government area of Akwa Ibom State. Our hearts go out to the villagers in Oko, Oshimili LGA of Delta State and other riverine areas of the Niger Delta, who are routinely forced to relocate due to flooding and the destruction of their homes caused by climate change-occasioned rising water levels from the River Niger and Atlantic Ocean. Sadly, we note that pollution, erosion, and the disappearance of marine life have affected the region, leading to the abandonment of some areas and loss of communities, cultures and community lives.           

The devastating impacts of flooding on the livelihoods of fishermen and farmers in Akwa Ibom state, occasioned by the activities of oil exploration activities, should no longer be overlooked. Serially, the concerns expressed by the affected communities through protests and grievances related to these issues, especially against Oil Companies and oil exploration in the areas, had often been silenced or ignored. AHOA acknowledges that the adverse effects of climate change on the Niger Delta region have further resulted in loss of farmland, housing, and fishing sources, leading to food scarcity and displacement, loss of human and animal lives, loss of flora and fauna. In some communities, there are superstitious belief systems that attribute climate change to spirituality.          

In Aiyetoro community in Ilaje local government of Ondo State, about 70% of the land are now underwater due to severe flooding, resulting in economic losses and displacement of over 2,000 residents. At the same time AFRIHEALTH has observed the high rates of crime in the affected communities due to joblessness, particularly among youth and women. Sadly also, people are taking desperate measures to survive, including selling their children, and fierce battles and deadly struggles over the limited available land. There is prevalent food insecurity in areas where forests are disappearing and arable lands are becoming scarce, leading to a decrease in crop yields, increasing hunger, social vices, crimes for survival, and poverty.           

In addressing these challenges frontally, AHOA recommends the promotion of community adaptation strategies; awareness campaigns with information, education and communication (IEC) to sensitize communities to the environmental issues affecting them; providing assistance to those working in the field and the affected communities and interventions to help and save the inhabitants and lives in the region.

The communities in Niger Delta need urgent interventions to understand the causes and impacts of climate change, adapt to climate change and mitigate its devastating effect in the region. This is a humanitarian crisis of immense dimensions. Open questions remained about the coping mechanisms of people in Nigeria in the face of these climate change challenges/issues.

Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje writes from Abuja, Nigeria