Two non-governmental organizations, the Community Environment and Development Network (CEDEN) and Media Awareness and Justice Initiative, are joining forces to address the environmental impact of oil exploration on Oloibiri communities in Bayelsa State.
The collaboration was announced during a capacity-building workshop on effective eco-management and biodiversity communication held on Friday in Otuabagi, Bayelsa.
The workshop brought together experts and stakeholders to develop strategies for restoring lost species and promoting sustainable ecological livelihoods in Oloibiri and the wider Niger Delta region.
In his presentation, Menidin Egbo, Executive Director of CEDEN, expressed concern over the gradual degradation of forest ecosystems and wetlands in the Niger Delta. He emphasized the need to restore the raffia forest ecology in Ekpadio, Otuabagi Community, Ogbia Local Government Area.
Egbo highlighted the critical role of communication in biodiversity conservation and ecological management.
“Communication is essential for stimulating community responses and governance for climate adaptation and mitigation. There is a crucial need for local actions to support nature conservation, linked to global environmental sustainability goals,” he said.
He added, “We are calling for more community-based ecological management strategies that will support forest restoration, including the planting of native species and management of natural regeneration.”
Otuabagi is historically significant as the site of Oloibiri Oil Well 1, where Nigeria discovered oil in commercial quantities, marking the country’s entry into the league of oil-producing nations.
