By Ebere Agozie
The Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi says the Federal Government’s continuous support to Nigeria’s mangrove will mitigate the effects of climate change and promote the ecosystem in the country.
Abdullahi said this in his opening remarks at the torch lighting ceremony organised by the Mangrove Marathon at the National Park Service Headquarters, Abuja to commemorate the 2022 International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystems.
Gfhnews reports that the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystems is held 30th July of every year.
The Minister who was represented by the Conservator-General, National Park Service, Dr Ibrahim Goni added that the Federal Government would support efforts to raise awareness on the protection of Nigerian mangrove ecosystems for the provision of suitable livelihoods to not only the coastal communities in Nigeria but the world at large.
“Mangrove ecosystems are extremely specialized groups of plants that are found in the fringes between the sea, the land along coasts and riverbanks where fresh and saltwater meet and have continued to serve as food, shelter, income, medicine and protection for people from coastal erosion and sea waves etc.
“Globally, these ecosystems are rare areas of about 240,000 square kilometres in 123 tropical and subtropical Nations of the World which represents less then one percent of all the tropical forests worldwide and less than 0.4 percent of the total global forest estate”.
According to him’ Nigeria has the largest mangrove ecosystems in Africa and third largest in the World with an estimate of 7.386sqkm having lost 26% since 1980.
He added that although these ecosystems are known to perform immense socioeconomic and ecological functions, no policy has been enacted for their conservation in Nigeria.
He said however that the narrative is changing, through the recent establishment of ten additional National Parks across Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari, bringing the total number of National Parks in the Country to 17.
The Minister lamented that the mangrove forest in Nigeria is still being diecimated at an alarming rate due to unprecedented and unsustainable threats arising from oil pollution, oil extraction, invasive species, municipal development, oil spills as well as lack of public awareness and understanding of the importance and functions of Mangrove forests to humanity.
The Marathon was kick-started by passing around the torch from the Minister to the representative of each of the states with mangrove ecosystems of Nigeria and back to Thomas Ereyitomi, the honourable Member of the House of Representatives from Delta State who promised to sponsor the Marathon in Warri, Delta State.
Highlight of the exercise was the Photo Exhibition and an Auction to further raise funds for the Marathon
