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PORT HARCOURT – A non-governmental organisation, Hope for Tomorrow Initiative (HOFTI Centre), has launched a grassroots sensitisation campaign in Rivers State, urging residents and traders to take active roles in addressing the growing threats of climate change and environmental pollution.

Speaking during a market sensitisation in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Dr. Prince Eze, Coordinator of HOFTI Centre, said the programme was designed to educate communities on practical ways to protect the environment and promote sustainable living.

He explained that the initiative seeks to empower market women and other residents with the right knowledge and practical steps to protect the environment, manage waste responsibly, and adopt climate-friendly habits that will benefit both our livelihoods and our planet.

Dr. Eze also commended the Global Greengrants Fund (GGF) for funding the project and praised market leaders and participants for their commitment to building a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable environment for our families and future generations.

He noted that HOFTI has continued to engage both major polluters and local communities to promote environmental accountability.

Eze said, “We have been interfacing with the major polluters, the oil corporations, and sensitising them about the effects of their activities on the environment

“But we decided to come to the markets and schools to raise awareness about pollution and climate change, so that we will not be the only ones putting pressure on the perpetrators to do the right thing.

“With the awareness, the community members and students will also put pressure on these companies. Combined with external pressure, this will help drive home the message for things to be done right now,” he added.

Also speaking, Dr. Ogechi Cookey Ndukwe, an environmental justice advocate, highlighted the severe health and environmental consequences of pollution, particularly in oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta.

Ndukwe lamented the declining life expectancy in the Niger Delta, noting that it now stands between 40 and 45 years, a situation she described as “terrible,” adding that the grim statistics reflect the region’s status as one of the most polluted in the world.

She however stressed the need for collective responsibility in tackling the crisis.

“This is why we must take this issue very seriously. Everyone is a stakeholder, from the market women to school children and government workers. We all have a role to play.

“Some of the dangers of pollution, especially gas flaring, are asthma, skin rashes, eye problems and cancer due to the emission of these gases,” she said.

The sensitisation programme forms part of HOFTI’s wider campaign to mobilise communities across the Niger Delta to demand climate justice, promote waste management, and drive collective action for a sustainable environment.