The campaign against open defecation, illegal grabbing of cannals, pollution and blockage of rivers and water channels formed the major trust of 2023 World Rivers Day observed by the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority (LNRBDA) in Ilorin recently. UMAR BAYO ABDULWAHAB writes about the event.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has said that some 11 million tones of plastic waste flow annually into oceans and river.
According to the global body, “Studies have also shown that by the year 2050, the number of plastic wastes in rivers will be more than the number of fish and other marine animals.”
Above were the extracts from the speech of the Kwara state commissioner for environment and tourism, Hon Ndanusa Ahmed at the 2023 World Rivers Day observed by the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority in Ilorin on Monday September 25, 2023.
The theme for the 2023 World Rivers Day is, ‘The Incredible Natural Cultural and Re-creational Values of Rivers and Streams in our Communities’.
To demonstrate the significance of the campaign, the managing director of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority (LNRBDA), an associate professor and water engineer, Dr Saheed Adeniyi Aremu led top management staff of the basin on a street- campaign against pollution of rivers and waters in Ilorin.
The camapaign which began from the basin’s premises located along Basin Road, Ilorin saw the officials dressed in a customised T-Shirt and caps as they marched through some major streets of Ilorin, distributing fliers before it terminated at Oja-Iya community.
Flood warnings
Wirh the sub-theme, ‘The Rights of Rivers, the campaign came against the backdrop of recent warning by the federal government of impending flood following the notice by Camerounian government that it would open the Lagdu Dam to reduce its volume of water.
Similarly, the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had also warned of imminent flood disaster in some parts of the country even as it asked authorities to step up campaigns to avert disasasters especially in the riverine communities.
The 2023 World Rivers Day therefore was another forum for stakeholders to reinforce the warning and enlighten those living along river banks and riverine areas about the effects of their harmful practices to water.
Isese controversy
Ilorin, the Kwara state capital had witnessed confrontations between some Ifa traditional worshippers and Muslim clerics over the clamour by Ifa worshippers to stage their rally and observe their day at a major river in the city.
The planned festival was however aborted following unfavourable security report by Kwara State Police Command.
However, against the backdrop of the tension that trailed the aborted Isese day, the authorities of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority first took time to clarify that the World Rivers Day was not synonymous with traditional rites being caried out by adherents of any religion.
Rather, the event, according to the basin authority, was organised to commemorate the 2023 World Rivers Day in order to create awarness about the negative effects of polluted rivers and the need to protect and restore fresh water.
World Rivers Day is observed every year on the fourth Sunday of September and it is celebrated to raise public awareness about rivers and the importance of all the waterways around the globe. It highlights the many values of rivers and encourages the improved stewardship of rivers around the world.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Dr Aremu admonished Nigerians to cultivate the habit of maintaining clean water bodies, which, according to him, is tantamount to clean behaviours.
According to him, the day is commemorated in recognition of the incredible natural, cultural and recreational values of rivers and streams as well as to the extent to which they add essence to the quality of life.
He disclosed that the celebration is intended to draw attention to Nigeria’s rivers that are in degraded states and facing increasing pressures associated with pollution, industrial development, urbanisation and climate change mostly due to human activities.
The managing director warned that untreatable emerging pollutants from polluted rivers and water bodies go back to the communities for consumption, thereby raising global concerns on increasing public health effects attributed to water pollution.
He therefore appealed to Nigerians to stop all negative activities that constitute a barrier to water flow in the river. He also used the opportunity to encourage regular cleaning of drainages and desilting of rivers channel.
Demands of the rivers
Highlighting the demands of the World Rivers Day, the LNRBDA boss, listed the demands to include the prevention of illegal grabbing and canal and ensure access to poor population so that they can use the resource which is necessary for resilent of livelihood
“Stop pollution and dumping of refuse in the rivers. Stop all negative activities that constitute barrier to water flow in the river and encourage regular cleaning of our drainage and desilting of our rivers channels.”
Choice of Oja-Iya River
On the rationale for choosing the Oja-Iya river in Ilorin for the excercise, Dr Aremu said, “One of the reasons for the choice of Oja-Iya River is that the river is one of the main tributries to Asa River which is the main source of raw water to Ilorin Metropolis.
“It is therefore pertinent that we bring the attention of the public to the effect that whatever untreatable emerging pollutant from this river goes back to the communities for consumption.
“The second reason is to bring to limelight the catastrophic effect of open defecation on human health due to increase in waterborne diseases and other problems associated with ingesting and exposure to human waste.”
Cost of polluted water
Also speaking on the cost implication of treating a polluted water, the executive director, (Plannimg and Design) , LNRBDA, Engineer Rasheed Oyedeji implored residents of the state to discourage people from dumping refuse into water bodies, saying the cost of treating polluted water could have been used for other projects.
The Department of Planning and Design, according to him, is responsible for the conceptualisation of all water resource development project like dams, weir, water treatment plant and other hydraulic structures across the many rivers like River Oyi for Kampe irrigation project, Oyun River for Oke-Oyi weir as well as River Niger Shonga for Shonga irrigation project.
He said, “The federal government has spent huge budget to develop these projects to provide portable water supply or irrigation facilities to our various communities. It is therefore our collective responsibility not to defecate into this water bodies. We should also discourage our people from dumping refuse into our water bodies. This in itself increases the cost of water treatment.”
Alarm by UNEP
On his part, the Kwara state commissioner for environment and tourism, Hon Shehu Ndanusa Ahmed qouting the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said, “Some 11 million tones of plastic waste flow annually into oceans and river.
According to him, “Studies have also shown that by the year 2050 , the number of plastic wastes in rivers will be more than the number of fish and other marine animals.”
The commissioner regretted that rate of progress to meet the target of SDGs by 2030 is too slow; therefore called for concerted efforts to achieve the target.
State govt’s intervention
Speaking on the intervention of the state government under the administrtion of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the commissioner said the state government has put in place regulatory frame works to ensure protection of rivers which according to him included enforcement of regulations on waste control and dumping of industrial affluence in Asadam river, dredgiging of Asa River, among others.
Highlights of the 2023 World Rivers Day celebration included the cleaning of Oja-Iya River and planting of trees by the River Basin boss, commissioner for environment and chairman Oja-Iya community, Isiaka Awopegba.
Also speaking, the Magaji of Oja-Iya community, Isiaka Awopegba, commended the authority for sensitising the community on the importance of rivers and the need to protect them.
He appealed to the government for provision of proper refuse disposal across the communities so as to prevent people from dumping refuse in those rivers.
