An environmental expert and lecturer in the University of Calabar, Cross River State has raised the alarm that water channels in the Niger Delta region are under serious threat.
Speaking with Vanguard in Abuja, Dr. Ralph Offiong, who is also an Associate professor in the university said that aquatic life was under serious threat in the region except something was done to salvage the situation.
According to him, “If you look at the Niger Delta, one of the most troubling scenarios is the issue that has to do with the blocking and taking over the waterways, water surfaces, water bodies, spooning grounds for fishes and other aquatic life forms by water hyacinth.
“Water hyacinth is a very serious invasive weed that is invading the Niger Delta, water channels and waterways. It is an aggressive invader. As we speak, it has created navigational problems, leading to the issues of blocking the waterway, death of so many organisms, the running away and depleting of a whole lot of other microorganisms that were serving as zoo-planktons and even phytoplanktons for aquatic life and biota.
“Again is the issue of water lettuce. Although water lettuce has been here with us it is spreading although it cannot be compared to the water hyacinth due to the fact that water hyacinth enjoys so much of the hydrocarbons that are been emitted through pollution as it has to do with oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta.
“Another of them is the issue of the suit. Of course today, you have heard about the black suit polluting the air, contaminating the fresh air we breathe in the Niger Delta is yet another very serious problem and then the issue of erosion too and also flooding which cannot be even overemphasised, as in flooding is creating a whole lot of problems and challenges to us. And the loss of biodiversity is yet another serious problem.
“And then the issue of one dangerous plant called the Nypa palms, it is gradually taking over our waterways especially the shores, the coastlines and it is a very strong invader that is weeding away the mangrove forests.
“Don’t forget mangrove forest ecosystem is a very vital, fragile and crucial ecosystem as it is the major place where fishes spoon and gives us a lot of the seafoods that we take. It is from there and if the mangroves are gone, that automatically means that we will lose our seafoods like crabs, periwinkles, mudskippers and the rest of other aquatic biota.
“So what is now the future of the aquatic life of the area and how is it going to affect artisanal fisheries that fishermen depends on. This will make them suffer and even the people who depends on the seafood as source of proteins from seafood and other fishes will also suffer.
“So, the Niger Delta is currently facing a lot of problems, above all with the current change in climate and then deforestation issues that is going on, our water bodies are highly silted.
“Take for instance, no boat can even move into the Calabar channel, some part of Rivers State and Bayelsa state no big boat can even navigate through and cannot sail through easily because of the reduction in sea depth through siltation.
“So, siltation is a very serious issue, it is being taken for granted and it is affecting the Niger Delta region. Very soon we doubt if big ships will be able to berth or anchor. The way it is going if something is not serious is not done amidst other problems, then the people will surely suffer the more.”
