Dayo Ayeyemi | Lagos
Senior Manager, Species Conservation, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Dr. Stella Egbe, has urged government to stop allocating what is left of wetlands to developers.
According to her, government should allow wetlands to play their functions appropriately.
Some of these functions, she said included stabilisation of the ocean shores, underground water storage and natural water purifier.
“Another important function is flood control as it stores excess water during heavy downpour,” she said.
She lamented that the continuous loss of wetlands in Lagos is dangerous, advising that measures should be put in place to check it.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune in Lagos, the conservationists with the NCF maintained that wetlands are not aesthetics, but exist to perform several functions in addition to being important habitats for other wildlife in coastal states.
She pointed out that understanding the functions of the wetlands would help to realise what humans stand to lose if they lost this important habitats.
She said “Imagine the economic losses whenever there is flood. This year, the rains have started in January and the volume of rain will likely increase.
“We are yet to recover from the floods of last year. There are no quick fix or alternatives to losing these areas. The results of its loss includes economic losses from flooded homes, farmlands businesses and in extreme cases, loss of lives.”
For these reasons, she suggested that non-governmental organisations must continue to advocate and emphasise on the importance of these habitats, monitor their ecological functions and interface with government as they push for sustainable developments.
She said that government has the power to enact and enforce laws, but that the authority must corporate with NGOs and provide guidelines for property developers to safeguard wetlands.
Managing wetlands, Egbe said there must be intentional and deliberate attempts to plan developments in line with important ecosystem structures and functions.
“We must include green spaces and wetlands around new developments. We cannot continue developments as if we are at war with nature.
“These kind of developments are possible. The state has to rejig the conditions for estate development.
“Finally, we must stop destroying those remnant wetland habitats for whatever purpose, that sort of development is not sustainable” she said.
“Wetlands are important habitats for wildlife whose persistence are linked to man’s survival. Provision of fish and other aquatic forms, they’re habitats for water birds and if properly harnessed are also economic hotspots. They store excess water from rain, purify water in the water recycling process in nature,” the conservationist added.
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