The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) promotes birds conservation through the commemoration of World Migratory Birds Day (WMBD) with the theme “Birds Connect our World”, held via a webinar on Saturday, 10th October, 2020. WMBD is an awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. The day is aimed at drawing attention to the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for national cooperation to conserve them. Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director of Technical Programmes, NCF revealed that WMBD offers ample opportunity on the need to raise awareness about migratory birds and the importance of having them around. He said, “bird watching is a great way to connect with nature. It is even therapeutic. Unlike in humans, the males of birds are more attractive than the females.” He believes that bird watching impacts hugely on the ecotourism of Kenya, Uganda, South Africa among other countries, therefore, if Nigeria would embrace and explore this revenue generating aspect of the environment, it will boost the ecotourism industry for the nation. “Maintenance of natural habitats is a major criterion for attracting more migratory birds into the country” He added. While espousing the theme of the…
Over 100 000 citizens demand the United Nations (UN) to recognise a new human right – the right to a healthy planet Citizens from around the world are demanding that the right to a clean, healthy environment is made a Universal Human Rights. Over 100 000 people have signed the petition. Right now, as the United Nations General Assembly is taking place, the UN’s Human Rights Council is meeting. This new human right was tabled at the Human Rights Council by five Member States. This is an important first step to resolutions in the Council and eventually the General Assembly. According to WHO, 23% of global deaths are linked to the damage and destruction of our natural environment, while hundreds of millions of people suffer from illnesses related to unhealthy and unnatural environments. Climate change directly results in more frequent and intense storms, droughts, wildfires and rising sea levels, which in turn threaten the lives of billions of people. The COVID-19 pandemic has its roots in habitat loss and illegal wildlife trade. This new human right can help ensure that the global green recovery the world needs to rebuild society following the pandemic takes both the biodiversity and the climate…
The Minister of the Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar during his working visit to the headquarters of Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Lekki Conservation Centre commended the efforts of NCF in salvaging the environment and partnering with the Federal Government of Nigeria through her ministry in protecting and restoring the environment for the benefits of the people. He made this known in his statement while appreciating the Foundation for not only being heavy in terms of public awareness campaign and implementation of projects but also as a reliable partner in the environment sector over the years. Speaking further on the achievements of this present administration, he said “We have built and we are building numbers of recycling plants that will take used plastics, wash and make all kinds of things out of them. For example pallet, and this pallet will be used to make interlock, the interlock made from plastics will even last longer than the brick interlocks” He added that the present government has been able to move the forest cover of the nation from 4% to 6% and working towards restoring it to 25% as recommended globally The Minister shortly after his arrival, went on a guided tour of…
Lekki Conservation Centre is home to the longest canopy walk in Africa, tree house, nature station, fish ponds, floor games, swamp lookout and other relaxation facilities. Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), an urban jungle in the heart of Lagos, is a centre of excellence in environmental research and education reserved as a sanctuary for the rich flora and fauna of the Lekki Peninsula. This 78-hectare facility is the only one of its kind in Lagos State. LCC is a tourist haven that welcomes people from all walks of life in their thousands daily. Foreign Ambassadors, top government officials, corporate organisations visit the place for team bonding. Schools pupils and undergraduates visit the place for environmental education. LCC has grown into one of Africa’s most diverse urban nature parks. Located along the Lekki-Epe expressway, LCC is the only vibrant protected area and one of the few reputable tourists’ destinations in Lagos. For 30years, the centre has catered for over 2 million tourists, LCC has become a strong advocacy tool used in promoting forest regeneration, environmental literacy and campaigns. LCC was established by NCF to focus on four thematic areas which include conservation, environmental education, research and ecotourism. LCC has evolved from core…
As the need to promote conservation message becomes more important in the face of the world battling the effect of COVID-19, and in order to prevent another pandemic through zoonotic disease, International and local NGOs embarked on vulture conservation awareness campaign in Africa. The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), a leading environmental NGO in Nigeria commemorated the International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) across the nation through webinars hosted on five different days. Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director of Technical programmes, NCF, in his presentation revealed that nature has bestowed on us vultures as environmental sanitary officers. A vulture can offer a clean-up service worth $11,200 in its lifetime. He emphasised, “Without vultures, humans are vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases, because, in the absence of vultures, dogs and rats become the clean-up crew. The danger in this is that these animals are not equipped for such and are close to human population, exposing us to diseases.” In his presentation, Mr. Aniekan-Abasi Emmah Uwatt, a conservation biologist and ornithologist, observed that human activities are the major drivers to the vultures’ threatened status. He added that the world could suffer from negligence if something drastic is not done to preserve the remaining vulture…
The Federal Government of Nigeria and ECOWAS CEDEAO hosted the first ECOWAS Regional Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) consultation on Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework on 10th-11th August, 2020 through a webinar. The priorities for the consultation was centred on Biodiversity in the African continent with the hope of mobilizing regional effort to deliver biodiversity protection and resource mobilization towards achieving the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The Regional Consultation with the theme “Strengthening the African Position Ahead of the Open-Ended Working Group-3 (OEGW-3) Meeting” was declared opened by Dr. Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar, the Honourable Minister of the Environment. In his statement, he said that the African continent is experiencing catastrophic biodiversity loss resulting from human-induced threats arising from unsustainable management practices. One of the African sub-region mostly impacted by this biodiversity loss is West Africa, having witnessed substantial economic loss because of this. These losses are becoming irreversible with the rate at which biodiversity is being decimated, habitat converted or degraded, deforestations across the sub-region is among the highest in the world, increased uncontrolled farmland expansion, illegal wildlife trade, etc. He said, “The livelihood of West Africans is being threatened daily due to unsustainable practices, strong biodiversity policy and laws but…
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