Lagos Calls For Wetlands Preservation

The Lagos State Government has joined the rest of the world to celebrate the World Wetland Day.

The celebration is aimed at drawing attention to the urgent need to protect and preserve wetlands in the state. The treaty provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

Professor Toyin Ogundipe of the University of Lagos who delivered a lecture on the theme Wetlands and Forests: Forests For Water and Wetlands hinted that there was need to start preserving wetlands in the state to avoid abuse due to growing pressure on land for development.

He noted that development and preservation of the wetlands could be undertaken simultaneously, citing New York, Singapore and some other cities which he described as literally living on water like Lagos.

The guest lecturer defined wetlands as the transition zones between land and aquatic system. He hinted that about 3% of the earth surface is covered by wetlands. The professor classified wetlands into Palustrine, Marine, Estuarine, Riverine or Riparian, Lacustrine, Swamp, Marshes.

Ogundipe warned that it would be unwise to assume that tsunami could not happen in Nigeria and therefore throw caution into the wind, observing that the ways we abuse wetlands is either by building them up or turning them into refuse dumps.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, Dr. Titi Anibaba revealed that the state government had completed a study of the existing wetlands and the level of encroachment and abuse with the intent to take decisive action on how to preserve them.

She was positive that sooner than later, the state’s position would be made known by the appropriate authority and that the concerned organ of government would get directives as to how to protect them.