World Oceans Day: Environment experts urge FG, States, Local Govts to protect Oceans, Rivers, etc
NAN-H-22
Oceans
By Chidinma Agu
Lagos, June 8, 2017 (NAN) Some environment experts on Thursday urged the Federal, States and Local Governments to protect all bodies of water such as the oceans, lagoons, rivers and streams, from all forms of waste.
They gave this advice in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to mark the 2017 World Oceans Day, with the theme: “The Oceans Our Future’’.
NAN reports that this year’s celebration encourages solutions to plastic pollution and preventing marine litter, for healthier oceans and a better future.
According to them, the Federal, States and Local Governments are not doing anything to protect the oceans, lagoons, rivers and streams from indiscriminate dumping of waste.
Prof. Peter Nwilo, a former Surveyor-General of the Federation and a don at the Department of Surveying and Informatics, University of Lagos, said Governments should put in motion strategies to prevent waste ending up in the oceans.
“Governments and the citizenry should realise that anything that enters the water, be it a stream, river or lagoon, ends up in the ocean.
“As such, the ocean is like a sink because all the waste from the land empty into it.
“There are animals and ecosystems that live in the ocean and such waste are poisonous to their existence.
“The sea level is rising and at an alarming level too because of human activities that cause pollution in the oceans.
“The World Oceans Day is reminding us of our responsibilities to protect the oceans,’’ he said.
Nwilo said that there should be waste bins placed at strategic places on our various beaches and people should be encouraged not to litter the beaches with waste of any type.
Prof. Oladele Osibanjo, National President, Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON), said that the oceans were a major source of global transport, resource for global fishing, energy, recreation and tourism.
“The problem now is that there are many plastics in the oceans today.
“If this is not controlled, it has been estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastics in the oceans than fishes.
“Global transportation will be disrupted, trawling of fishes will become a huge problem as, instead of fishes, the fishermen will be trawling plastics.
“The fishes are mistaking plastics for food and are eating them and the toxins are transferred to humans when the fishes are caught and consumed.
“The effect on human health and potential new diseases and ailments cannot be quantified,’’ he said.
Osibanjo, who is also the Executive Director, Basel Convention Coordinating Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the African Region (BCCC Africa), said that the essence of the World Oceans Day celebration is to remind us, especially governments, corporate organisations and individuals, that protecting the environment was essential for man’s well being.
He said that waste of any type, be it hazardous chemicals, electronics and toxic waste should not be dumped in the oceans.
Osibanjo added that agricultural food, households and toxic human waste should be prevented from entering the oceans.
Dr Desmond Majekodunmi, an environmentalist and Chairman of LUFASI Natural Park, Lagos, said that human beings needed the oceans more than the ocean needed them.
“The irresponsible use of the oceans and water bodies around us is impacting negatively on our existence on earth.
“The World Oceans Day celebration is, therefore, a wake-up call to this reality.
“Indiscriminate sand dredging and property development without due Environmental Impact Assessment reports are causing shoreline erosion, and changes in the ocean patterns, bringing the ocean nearer to residential areas.
“One day, we will all sleep and wake up inside the ocean. It has happened before and may happen again because of our disregard for ocean protection,’’ he said.
Majekodunmi said that there was need to maintain a balance on earth with everything that surrounds man.
He urged that waste in the oceans should be checked with proper management to prevent waste from getting into any of the bodies of water in the environment.
The World Oceans Day is celebrated globally on June 8. (NAN)
ACA/PIO/PIO
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(Edited by Idonije Obakhedo)