The Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP) has disclosed that over 4000 hectares of mangroves had been destroyed by decades of oil spills in the Ogoni area of the Niger Delta alone.
HYPREP’s Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, made the revelation in a statement while Commemorating the annual World Wetlands Day, tagged: Wetlands and Human Well-being.
Zabbey who emphasised that wetlands face numerous threats, including urbanization, reclamation for social projects, plastic, and crude oil pollution, deforestation, dredging, and the impact of climate change, added the degradation poses risks to biodiversity and compromises the well-being of communities that depend on wetlands for survival.
“Despite their invaluable contributions, wetlands face numerous threats, including urbanization, reclamation for social projects, plastic and crude oil pollution, deforestation, dredging, and the impact of climate change,” Zabbey said. “For instance, over 4000 hectares of mangroves have been destroyed by decades of oil spills in the Ogoni area of the Niger Delta alone.
