The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), Ebitimi Amgbare, has hinted on plans to lunch the ‘NDBDA Waterways Sanitation Corps’ in celebration of World Oceans Day.
The corps when established will help tackle the triple global threats of plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss in the Niger Delta basin waterways,
Amgbare hinted at this development during a courtesy visit by Ms. Rita Inko-Tariah, Ocean Ambassado of the Inter-Governmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, at the authority’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, as part of activities marking the World Environment Day 2025.
The managing director of the NDBDA, represented by Odes Sakawi, explained that the proposed NDBDA Waterways Sanitation Corps is a strategic fit with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to unlock Nigeria’s vast blue economy potential.
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This initiative underscores the authority’s dedication to promoting environmental sustainability and driving economic growth in the Niger Delta region.
Amgbare expressed concern that the Niger Delta’s critical ecosystem, which sustains a wide range of plant and animal life, is under threat due to poor sanitation.
“The region’s economy, driven by fishing, tourism, and other water-based industries, stands to lose substantially if environmental degradation persists, undermining efforts towards sustainable development.
“This initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs-6), clean water and sanitation, climate action, and life below water.
“In line with this, our authority is poised to launch the NDBDA Waterways Sanitation Corps, aimed at tackling plastic pollution in Niger Delta waterways.
“This effort forms part of a broader strategy to address environmental challenges in the oil-rich region, promote a sustainable blue economy, and create jobs and income opportunities for coastal communities.
“The NDBDA Waterways Sanitation Corps will have key responsibilities, including: ensuring the health and sustainability of Niger Delta waterways and marine ecosystems through effective sanitation management, mobilizing communities to participate in sanitation and conservation efforts, promoting awareness on protecting marine ecosystems, safeguarding marine ecosystems from pollution and degradation and supporting regional biodiversity and ecological balance.
“By ensuring clean and sustainable waterways, the NDBDA Waterways Sanitation Corps will support the growth of the blue economy, facilitating activities such as fishing, transportation, and tourism.
