River basin authority MD urges Kwara residents to respect rights of rivers

Managing Director, Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin, Saheed Aremu, has admonished residents of the state to respect the rights of rivers by restraining themselves and others from all kinds of activities that could pollute water.

Aremu spoke on the sideline of ‘2022 World Rivers Day’ observed by the River Basin in Ilorin during which he led top management team and staff of the agency to carry out cleaning exercise of major rivers in the state in Kwara capital as part of campaign against violations of the rights of rivers.

He expressed global concerns about disease burdens emerging from polluted and untreated water and called for concerted efforts to halt the trend.

The MD listed some of the violation rights of rivers to include blockage of water ways, thereby preventing rivers from flowing freely.

Aremu also campaigned against dumping of solid and industrial wastes into rivers, open defecation, land grabbing, discharge of effluent and industrial and solid wastes in rivers among other harmful practices.

The theme for the ‘2022 World Rivers Day’ celebrations is “Rights of Rivers.” The World Rivers Day is observed every fourth Sunday of September, to raise awareness about the rivers and the importance of all the water ways around the globe. It highlights the many value of rivers and encourages the improved stewardship of rivers around the world.

Speaking during the event that also featured street campaign, Aremu decried the alarming threat to human and aquatic environment in Nigeria due to water pollution and blockage of water ways calling for concerted efforts to halt the trend.

Aremu, a water engineer expert, said “our rivers are being polluted by indiscriminate disposal of sewage, solid wastes, industrial wastes and other human activities.”

NPC to digitalise 2023 population census — Commissioner (2)

The Federal Commissioner representing Bayelsa state at the National Population Commission (NPC), Mrs. Gloria Izonfuo, has assured Nigerians that the commission would digitalise the forthcoming 2023 census in line with the United Nations principles.

She also promised to deployed technology to adequately conduct the exercise and enhance data quality.

Izonfuo, a former Head of Service in Bayelsa, expressed the commission’s commitment to deliver credible and reliable census as well as ensure that the results of the exercise are acceptable to Nigerians and that the quality of the data to be generated meets international standards for planning and developmental purposes.

She made the disclosure at a stakeholders’ summit held in Yenagoa, the state capital, adding that the summit was the first of several meetings to be held in the state. She thanked the government and good people of the state for the support to the commission.

(Ripples Nigeria)