By Awyetu Asabe Hope
Environmental experts have raised alarm over worsening environmental degradation in Nigeria’s South-South region, calling on governments to ensure proper utilisation of ecological funds to address the growing crisis.
The stakeholders, reacting to findings from a recent environmental survey, attributed the region’s challenges to both natural and human activities.
They identified key issues such as erosion, carbon emissions, water pollution, deforestation, oil spills, and ocean encroachment as major threats to livelihoods and ecosystems.
In Rivers State, Prof. Chibuogwu Eze, Director of the Institute of Pollution Studies at Rivers State University, expressed concern over rising underground water pollution in the Niger Delta.
He explained that leakage from poorly maintained underground fuel storage tanks at filling stations had allowed harmful substances, including lead, to contaminate groundwater sources.
According to Eze, the situation poses serious health risks, especially as many households rely on boreholes for water supply.
“Boiling water only kills pathogens, not toxic metals like lead,” he said, stressing the need for strict adherence to regulations guiding the maintenance and lifespan of fuel storage tanks.
Also speaking, Mr. Fyneface Dumnamene, Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), criticised the inadequate utilisation of ecological funds by some states, particularly Rivers.
He noted that ecological funds, which make up about two per cent of the federal budget allocation to states, are meant to tackle environmental challenges but are often underutilised.
“Despite receiving significant allocations between 2023 and 2025, many ecological issues in the state remain unaddressed,” he said, urging the establishment of a dedicated disaster management committee to oversee fund utilisation.
In Cross River State, Prof. Francis Bissong of the University of Calabar warned that illegal logging activities were threatening critical forest ecosystems, including habitats for endangered species.
He described the state as a global biodiversity hotspot and cautioned that unchecked deforestation could result in long-term ecological and economic losses.
“Unsustainable logging destroys biodiversity, displaces wildlife, and increases the risk of flooding and erosion,” he said.
Bissong advocated stronger enforcement of forestry laws, land-use zoning, and greater involvement of local communities in forest management.
Similarly, environmental advocate Ken Henshaw called for inclusive decision-making processes and better access to climate finance for local communities.
“When communities are excluded from benefiting from natural resources, it breeds resentment,” he said, adding that global climate finance rarely reaches grassroots forest communities.
In Akwa Ibom State, environmental consultant Dr. Sunday Nditoi decried the impact of deforestation, bush burning, and gas flaring on the environment.
He urged authorities to enforce stricter regulations and promote tree planting initiatives.
“Any tree cut down should be replaced with at least two,” he advised.
Also, Mr. Umo Isua-Ikoh of the Peace Point Development Foundation highlighted the devastating effects of oil spills and gas flaring on agriculture and fishing.
He noted that declining fish populations and poor harvests were forcing fishermen to travel longer distances with little success, worsening food insecurity in the region.
Responding, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Aniekan Umanah, said the government had made efforts to tackle environmental degradation through land reclamation and erosion control projects.
He cited the recovery of over 75 hectares of gully-eroded land in Uyo and ongoing ecological interventions across the state.
Umanah assured that the government would continue to invest in environmental protection while urging citizens to play their part in safeguarding the environment.
Across the region, stakeholders emphasised the need for stricter enforcement of environmental laws, transparency in ecological fund utilisation, and active community participation to ensure sustainable environmental management.
