Authourity warns against defecating inside rivers

Date: 2022-09-28

The Lower Niger River Basin Authority (LNRBA) has admonished Nigerians to desist from defecating and dumping of refuse inside the nation's river ways.

Dr Adeniyi Aremu, the Managing Director of the authority, gave the warning while delivering a speech to mark the 2022 World Rivers Day celebration in Ilorin.

He explained that defecating inside rivers would pollute the waterways and predispose people to water borne diseases such as diarrhoea and cholera.

“Open defecation usually occur next to river ways, so that the river can carry it from one location to another.

“The day themed: 'Rights of Rivers', is set aside by the United Nations to celebrate the world's waterways and river systems in order to highlight the many values of rivers and increase public awareness around rivers,” said Aremu.

He said that marking the day would serve to promote and improve stewardship of all rivers around the world.

Aremu said the theme recognised the incredible natural, cultural and recreational values of rivers and streams as well as the extent to which they add to quality of life.

“The celebration is intended to draw attention to the Nigerian rivers that are in degraded states and facing increasing pressures associated with pollution, industrial development, urbanisation and climate change mostly due to human activities.

“Rivers are arteries of the planet and need its course too flow. We must let water unite us as we cannot live without water,” he said.

Aremu encouraged regular cleaning of drainages and desalting of rivers channels in Kwara and Nigeria as a whole.

Citing the Yalu river in Ilorin as an example, he explained that the river is the main tributary of Asa River which is a major domestic source of water supply to about 50 per cent of residents in the city.

According to him, it is therefore pertinent that the public know the effect that whatever untreatable emerging pollutant thrown into this river goes back to the community for consumption.

“The availability and quality of water have always played an important role in determining the quality of life.

“Hence, there has been increasing global concern in recent times over the public health effects attributed to water pollution in particular,” he said.

Mrs Remilekun Banigbe, the state Commissioner for Environment, emphasised the importance of rivers to humanity and the need to save rivers for future generation.

She observed that over 600 countries are marking the day, adding that millions of the world population depend on rivers for their daily livelihood.

Banigbe, who was represented by Mrs Elizabeth Samuel, an official of the ministry, said that the state government was planning ways of utilising the Asa River to solve some critical needs, such as food security and health.

She lamented that rivers are under threat caused by human activities including acid rains, dumping of industrial effluent and discharging refuse.

The commissioner warned that by 2050 there will be more plastic wastes than fishes in the rivers, if drastic prevention measures were not taken.

She, therefore, advocated recycling of plastics and other materials as a way of curbing dumping of refuse in waterways.

Also in her paper presentation, Mrs Mojibola Akinpeloye, the Assistant Chief Administration Officer of the authority, observed that rivers are important neighbours of nature, adding that it brings succour to life.

She said that rivers are habitat to some creatures, serve as a means of transportation, and also a source where water for drinking, industrial activities and for agricultural purposes are derived.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that highlights of the event include cleaning of the Yalu River in Ilorin by the management of the authority and other stakeholders.

(NAN)

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Prince Sunday Fagbemi     Ajia-Bako     Sunday Otokiti     Offorjama     Abiodun Jacob Ajiboye     Bamikole Omishore     Ibrahim Mohammed     Public Holiday     ASUU     Ibrahim Bio     Idowu Laro     Islamic Development Bank     Oko-Erin     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Nigeria Computer Society     George Funsho Adebayo     Ahmed Dankaya     Umar Gunu     Saadu Alanamu     Shaaba Lafiagi     Kazeem Oladepo     Mumini Ishola Hanafi     Bola Sagaya     Aro Yahaya     Idiagbon     Village Alive Development Association     Ayotunde Emmanuel Alao     Kwara State Television (KWTV)     S.O. Opowoye     Bolakale Saka     Christopher Ayeni     Communication Network Support Services     QuickWin     Shuaib Abdulkadir     Ope Saraki     Idi-Ape     AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah     Mufti Of Ilorin     Oluwole Dupe     Habeeb Abdullahi Al-Ilory     Kwarareports     Ajayi Okasanmi     Simon Sayomi     Saka Abimbola Isau     Ella Supreme Tissue Paper     Bolaji Aladie     Lanre Aremu     Yahaya Muhammad     Prince Mahe Abdulkadir     Kwara State Branch Of The National Library     Ayo Adeyemi     Soffiyyallah Kamaldeen     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     Federal Polytechnic Offa     Arandun     Babajide Ajayi     Hussein Olokooba     Gobir Organization Foundation     Mohammed Jimoh Faworaja     N-Power     Abdulfatai Salman Baakini     Islamiya Abdulraheem     Erubu Oba Zubair     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Kola Ologbondiyan     Makama Of Kaiama     Kawu Baraje     Rueben Parejo     Hussein Oloyede     Wahab Abayawo     Joseph Alex Offorjama     Busari Alabi Alausa     Bisi Oyeleke     Michael Nzwekwe     Modibo Kawu     Muhammed Abdullahi     Bola Shagaya    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Khadijat Ayoola Yusuf     Mohammed Khadijat Kubura     Kamaldeen Gambari     Women For Change And Development Initiative     Ile Arugbo     Tunde Mukaila Mustapha     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Umar Ayinla Saro     Towoju     Azeez Bello     Abdullateef Abdussalam     Kwara Restoration Project     Ajidagba     Sarah Alade     High Court     Federal Allocation     Olusola Saraki     Clement Yomi Adeboye     Saheed Popoola     Bola Tinubu     Kola Ologbondiyan     Taofik Mustapha     Abdulhakeem Amao     Hamidu Olowo     International Aviation College     Code Of Conduct Bureau     Binta Sulyman     Ahmed Idris Mohammed     Laboratory-to-Product     Ike Ekweremadu     Adijat Adebiyi     John Kehinde Salako     Ahmad Ali     2023 Elections     Saidu Kawu     PPS     KW-GIS     Sola Saraki University     Babatunde Idiagbon     Turaki     Bilikisu Oniyangi     Ahmed Ayinla Jimoh     Saadu Yusuf     Summit University     Ahmad Belgore     Bello Bature     COVID     Turaki Of Ilorin     Sa\'ad Alanamu     CBT     The Herald     Abdulmumini Jawondo     Idowu Laro     Ilorin Emirate     Suleiman Alege Kuranga     Adeola Abraham     Ilota     Amosa     Ganmo Electricity Sub-Station     Ghali Alaaya     Eghe Igbinehin     Muhammadu Gobir     Rex Olawoye     Omotosho     SAPZ Project     Yakubu Dogara     Abdulganiyu Oladosu     Deji Ajani     Iyaloja-General     Kayode Ogunlowo     Muyideen Ajani Bello     Government House     Saka Adeyemo     Akeem Olatunji     Kulende-UITH     Emmanuel Bello     Sabi