There is need for Nigeria to develop a National Protection Policies for Wetlands Conservation.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, Olalekan Shodehinde, stated this at a webinar organized by the Nigeria Institution of Environmental Engineers to commemorate the World Environment Day 2020.
The webinar brought together engineers across Nigeria, with speakers highlighting Engineering Solutions to Wetlands Management in the country.
World Environment Day is commemorated on June 5 every year to create awareness and provoke actions towards protecting the environment.
Mr Shodehinde said that wetlands provide a variety of ecological services including feeding downstream waters, trapping flood waters, recharging groundwater supplies, removing pollution and providing fish and wildlife habitats.
“Wetlands should, therefore, be managed and protected with all engineering inputs and legal frameworks for sustainable development,” he said.
He also said that there is need for increased awareness on the effects of wetlands encroachment, reduction, destruction and total loss.
According to him, flooding is a major effect of wetlands destruction in Lagos State.
“Other consequences which have not been documented include water pollution, loss of critical habitats, including threatened and endangered species to mention a few” he added.
A former Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, Hakeem Ogunbambi, advocated increased budget allocation for biodiversity, ecology and wetland management.
Ogunbambi also urged the government to allocate adequate funds for capital investment in wetland management as an integral part of the infrastructure development programme.
He said there is need to improve and provide effective wetland management in human settlements, including methods of waste-water (domestic and industrial) disposal into the wetlands
“We must initiate research programmes on impact and management of wetlands, escalate our maintenance and operation strategies and promote research and encourage exchange of knowledge with the tertiary institutions,” he added.
Another speaker, Bola Olowe, said Nigeria has over 20,000 wetlands which must be properly harnessed for sustainable development.
Source:VON
