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The Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA) has inaugurated a 13-member Waterways Sanitation Management Team (WSMT) in a bid to enhance environmental sustainability at the Agency Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Ebitimi Amgbare, managing director of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority, while inaugurating the team last week, said the initiative was a demonstration of the NDBDA’s commitment to ensuring clean water and sanitation, mitigating climate change, and conserving ocean resources in the Niger Delta region.
Amgbare said the WSMT is “tasked with driving initiatives that would promote clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), climate action (SDG 13), and conservation of ocean resources (SDG 14) in the Niger Delta region in line with global best practices.”
He described the establishment of the Waterways Sanitation Management Team as another step towards raising awareness about waterways sanitation across the catchment States of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers, while stressing the team’s role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to water, climate, and marine life.
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He further explained that the initiative was part of efforts to amplify the Authority’s advocacy for zero plastic pollution in rivers and coastal areas of the Niger Delta region while highlighting the importance of empowering the youth across the region to address the global challenges of plastic pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss.
“The Waterways Sanitation Management Team’s work is vital to ensuring the health and sustainability of our waterways and marine ecosystems in our Niger Delta region. The team’s efforts will contribute significantly to achieving SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, promoting health, well-being, and economic growth.
“It contributes to SDG 13: Climate Action, reducing climate-related risks and vulnerabilities and SDG 14: Life Below Water, conserving marine biodiversity and promoting sustainable use of marine resources. Today’s inauguration reaffirms NDBDA’s commitment to achieving these critical SDGs and ensuring a sustainable future for the Niger Delta region,” Amgbare said.
The Managing Director noted that the Niger Delta, with its network of rivers, creeks, and wetlands, is a critical ecosystem that supports a diverse range of plant and animal life.
He said the region’s economy is heavily reliant on fishing, tourism, and other industries that depend on clean waterways, while adding that poor sanitation can lead to economic losses and undermine sustainable development.
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