C'River Partners Group To Curb Marine Waste

By: Sylvia Okoi 

In a move to curb indiscriminate disposal of waste into the marine ecosystem, the Cross River State Government has expressed its willingness to partner with Non Governmental Organizations to tackle waste littering.

Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Moses Osogi who disclosed this when he received project PROTEGO team members in his office in Calabar. thursday, stated that the present administration led by Senator Bassey Edet Otu prioritizes citizens wellbeing and will collectively take deliberate steps that will produce sustainable Environmental results.

He admitted the health dangers marine litter poises to human inhabitants, stressing that marine waste especially plastic pollution, is one of the most crucial Environmental issues threatening human lives.

He called for a behavioral change amongst residents while pledging Government's continuous resolve to provide solutions such as availability of dumpsters for proper waste management while also ensuring appropriate waste evacuation at all times.

The Regional Project Coordinator, PROTEGO, Mr. Clem Ugorji informed the Commissioner that PROTEGO is a 3 years project implemented in Nigeria by the Nigeria Climate Innovation centre and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Waste Conservation and Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) under the Grant Programme Marine plastic pollution. 

He explained that the project's aims to reduce Marine litter, particularly plastic waste in Ghana and Nigeria by implementing series of innovative activities to prevent marine pollution.

Mr. Ugorji announced that in Cross River State, Nsidung was identified as a hotspot in view of providing intervention to the community.

In a similar development, during a stakeholder workshop held at Transcorp hotel, the project manager PROTEGO, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajide in his address stated that the focused group discussion was aimed at providing an enabling environment for various inputs into the project.

He added that the stakeholders engagements showcases the relevance of the intervention to the affected communities.

The workshop had representatives from the Cross River State Ministry of Environment, Community leaders and Members, Environmental regulatory bodies etc.

It is anticipated that before the 3 years duration elapses for the implementation of the PROTEGO project, marine plastic pollution affecting the Gulf of Guinea despite the population growth and economic development. There would be significant reduction and control use of single -use plastic thereby making the aquatic environment safer especially in the affected regions.