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The Delta State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ejiro Jamani, has stressed the need to preserve and sustainably manage wetlands across the state, describing them as critical to the environment, economy, spiritual and cultural heritage of the people.
Jamani stated this during the World Wetlands Day celebration which was held in Asaba, a day observed globally with this year’s theme being: “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage.”
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner, who was represented by the Director, Sanitation and Waste Management, Mrs. Francisca Atiga, noted that wetlands were more than ecological treasures, describing them as repositories of culture, history and indigenous wisdom.
He said the state was blessed with one of the most extensive wetland systems in West Africa, including the mangrove forests of the Niger Delta, the Forcados, Escravos, Warri and Benin River estuaries, the Ase and Ethiope floodplains, the Burutu and Patani wetlands, as well as the freshwater swamps of the Upper Orashi axis.
Jamani explained that traditional knowledge has long guided the sustainable use of wetlands, noting that fisher folk observe breeding seasons, farmers understand flood cycles, and herbalists utilize medicinal plants from swamps and mangroves, while elders uphold customs and taboos that protected sacred rivers, forests and species.
However, Jamani expressed concern over the growing threats to wetlands in the state, including oil pollution, illegal dredging, sand filling, mangrove deforestation, indiscriminate waste disposal, urban expansion and the effects of climate change.
The Commissioner outlined key measures needed to preserve wetlands, including stronger enforcement of environmental laws, community-based conservation driven by traditional rulers, youth, women and fisherfolk, intensified environmental education, and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods such as eco-friendly fishing, mangrove restoration and eco-tourism.
Jamani urged all stakeholders to work together to protect the state’s wetlands, stressing that the future of the environment, culture and economy is inseparably linked to their health.
In her welcome remarks, the Director, Environmental Conservation, Mrs. Rebecca Oruma, said the celebration was both a moment of reflection and a call to action, noting that wetlands remain critical to the environmental, cultural, and socio-economic wellbeing of the state.
The Director urged stakeholders to see it as an opportunity to recommit to protecting and restoring wetlands by integrating traditional knowledge with scientific approaches for the benefit of present and future generations.
She expressed appreciation to Governor. Sheriff Oborevwori, and the Commissioner for their visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability, noting that, their consistent support has strengthened environmental protection, and promoted cleaner and safer surroundings across the state.
The highlight of the celebration was a lecture on Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage.”
