Communities in Bayelsa and Delta states have called for the establishment of functional waste management systems, improved access to agricultural inputs and credit as solutions to climate change challenges in their areas.
The call is contained in a statement issued by Mrs. Success Nwanedo, the Senior Communications Officer of Academic Associates Peace works (AAPW), in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
According to Nwanedo, the communities made the call during town-hall meetings organised by AAPW, with support from the Embassy of Denmark in Nigeria.
She said the town-hall meetings were held across selected communities in Bayelsa and Delta.
Nwanedo said the meetings were part of AAPW ongoing initiative entitled “Advancing Community Capacity to Mitigate Climate Change Impact and Develop Green and Blue Economy in the Niger Delta.”
She said that the meetings were aimed at empowering local communities to take ownership of environmental policies and amplify their voices in climate governance.
Nwanedo explained that participants from the communities shared concerns over the continued pollution of their waterways through oil spills and the health impacts of gas flaring.
“Also, the destruction of marine life by unregulated trawlers, and the visible absence of environmental sanitation infrastructure,” she said.
According to her, some representatives of the communities called for enforcement of conservation laws, and the localisation of environmental policies to reflect community realities.
“They said these policies should be translated from environmental laws on paper to practice,” she stated.
Nwanedo said the AAPW would continue to work with community stakeholders, traditional institutions, and policymakers to turn dialogue into action, strengthening local bylaws, building technical capacity, and deepening environmental accountability.
By Precious Akutamadu