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PORT HARCOURT – Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has expressed deep concern over the devastating impact of flooding and erosion on residents, particularly those living in coastal communities across the state.
Governor Fubara lamented that the recurring incidents of flooding have continued to take a heavy toll on both human and ecological systems, often resulting in loss of lives, destruction of property, and environmental degradation.
The Governor made this remark on Tuesday in Port Harcourt during the public presentation of a book titled, “Coastal Zone Flooding and Erosion in Developing Communities: Principles, Cases and Strategies” authored by Emeritus Professor Wiston Bell-Gam.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Benibo Anabraba, Governor Fubara, according to a statement signed by Juliana Masi, Head, Press Unit Office of the Secretary to the State Government, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to implementing proactive and sustainable adaptation measures to combat the menace.
In his words, “The Rivers State Government will continue to undertake and encourage adaptation strategies, such as construction of seawalls and breakers, canals and channels, restoring coastal ecology and ecosystem for coastal resilience and where necessary, the relocation of communities on the coastline.
“These issues are currently receiving the much needed attention and intervention by the recent approval of the construction of shoreline protection along the coastlines of more than five communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Opobo/Nkoro LGAs respectively.”
He further called for collective action in mitigating climate change and protecting the marine environment.
Fubara said, “It is important that as stakeholders in the protection and preservation of marine environment, we all act and advocate for mitigation strategies such as reduction in emission of Green House Gasses that causes climate change and rise in sea levels. Let us promote the use of clean energy and against fossil fuel.”
Governor Fubara also cautioned residents against practices that worsen flooding in the state.
“We also need to encourage our people to stop developing buildings on and along natural water courses, indiscriminate sea mining and dredging activities on our coastline without consideration for mangroves and swamps,” he stressed.
He commended the author for his scholarly contributions to environmental knowledge both in Rivers State and globally.
Also speaking, former Military Governor of old Rivers State and Amayanabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, who served as Royal Father of the Day, described the book as timely and crucial to managing the challenges of global warming.
“Global warming is real. If it’s not addressed globally, a time will come coastal areas will find themselves under water. The coastline of Nigeria is shocking with many mangroves gone,” he observed.
Reviewing the book, the Vice Chancellor of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Ondo State, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, said the 14-chapter publication fills a critical knowledge gap on coastal flooding and erosion in developing communities.
“A major beauty of the book that sets it apart is the detailed consideration of flood and erosion control from around the world,” he noted, adding that the work is grounded in extensive field investigations.
