Nigerians Support National Framework, Registry for Mangrove Restoration
Eme Offiong, Calabar
The Nigerian Government has been urged to urgently implement and establish a National Carbon Framework and Registry to attract funding opportunities for the restoration of its degraded mangrove region.
Environment stakeholders made the call sequel to a recent town hall held in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, southern Nigeria, organized by the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat.
The stakeholders, who spoke with Voice of Nigeria in separate interviews, agreed that the framework would guarantee funding opportunities as well as reposition Nigeria as a critical player in the global carbon market.
One of the stakeholders was former member of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Mrs. Nkoyo Toyo, who is a critical development activist.
She said, “it is important that we address the challenges in our mangrove resource. Nigeria is blessed with a vast mangrove forest area and we must tap into the opportunities therein if we must tackle serious problems of erosion, salination, flooding and rising water levels.”
Toyo, who was Nigeria’s former ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti, further stated, “these problems have eroded the character of the mangrove communities.
So, it is important that we get back to sustaining livelihoods after the loss of the mangrove ecosystem because it is key for climate change, sustainable development and the Niger Delta States.”
Another environmentalist, the National Coordinator of Green Concern for Development, Mr. Edem Edem affirmed that due to a lack of an appropriate framework, Nigeria was missing out on funding opportunities for restoration of the mangrove forest.
Edem, who is also the Civil Society representative for Africa and the Middle east in the Climate Investment Fund of the World Bank stated, “as a country, make need to make hay because Nigeria missed the first opportunity to draw from the World Bank’s Climate Investment Fund. If we must protect our unique mangrove ecosystem, Nigeria must leverage on existing opportunities.”
Similarly, the Mangrove Restoration Officer for HYPREP (Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project), Mr. Uche Izukwu, said that the agency, which is spearheading the Ogoni mangrove restoration project, was prepared to share its expertise with States in the region.
Izukwu said that HYPREP was “willing to share our expertise with any States in the region because from our experience, no single agency can do it alone. So, in addition to the framework and developing a registry, collaboration particularly with the communities is key.”
In the same vein, the Cross River State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang insist on adhering to the agreed timeframe to achieve targets, noting, “the mangrove is very important to our communities.
There are communities in Cross River State that have lost their livelihood due to degradation of the mangrove. So, the earlier we swing into action, the better for us.”
It would be recalled that at the meeting, the Commissioners for Environment from five Niger Delta States comprising Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta and Rivers States had in a statement proposed that the Nigerian Government enact a National Carbon Framework and establish a registry within stipulated timeframes to enhance carbon credit earnings.
The convener of the town hall, the Director General of the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS) and Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change, Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe said that the framework was a necessity for Nigeria’s mangrove restoration, conservation and protection strategies.
Oyenike Oyeniyi
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