By Davies Iheamnachor
The Federal Government says it is set to commence mangrove restoration in the Niger Delta region.
This is just as FG has handed over seven remediated sites in the Ogoni clean-up to National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, for due verification and certification.
The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar after a meeting in Port Harcourt said his ministry is in talks with key stakeholders in the Niger Delta region on devising a blueprint for alternative ways to preserve, conserve and restore mangrove in the region.
Abubakar, who said the destruction of mangrove is catastrophic to the economy of the nation, noted that the resolution of the meeting in Port Harcourt was to focus on starting with short term goals of seeking alternative means of making people stay away from mangrove destruction.
Abubakar in company of the Minister of Environment (State), Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor said: “We had a meeting with groups, professionals, academicians for the purpose of devising means of restoring mangrove in the Niger Delta region.
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“Destruction of these special plants can bring about a lot of catastrophic issues to the economy. We are focused on starting with short term goals, thinking of ways to look for alternatives so that people will stay away from the mangrove.”
However, the Minister at the official hand-over ceremony of completed lots in Alode, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers state, noted that 280,300 cubic metres of soil was treated from the seven lots using the bio-remediation option, adding that the project was the largest environmental remediation project going on in the world.
Abubakar assured Ogoni people that FG sustains the progress of the clean-up, saying it was committed to adhering to the recommendations of the UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) report.
