FEATURED NEWS
Akpokodje Charts Pathways To Sustainable Dev In N'Delta
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- Published: 06 May 2021
By Otikor Samuel
Sustainable development in the Niger Delta could only be achieved when there is a paradigm shift f rom t he current s ect oral and pi ecemeal f u n d i n g a p p r o a c h t o a mu l t i - s e c t o r a l , we l l coordinated and integrated approach with a clear vision. The vision must be laced with practical development roadmap and planned within specified timeframe.
This was the position canvassed by Professor Enuvie Akpokodje of the Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, while delivering the 15 V aledictory Lecture of the University entitled, A Sustainable Niger Delta:Still Possible Only If… at Ebitimi Banigo Auditorium on August 24, 2020. The Lecture was streamed online as part of COVID-19 preventive protocols. “A sustainable Niger Delta is still possible only if the intervention approach optimises short, medium and long-term goals as integrated components of the overall 'umbrella' strategic plan aimed at addressing socio-economic and environmental challenges of the Niger Delta in the context of sustainability and sustainable development,” Professor Akpokodje said.
The 15th Valedictory Lecturer stated that a sustainable Niger Delta would be based on a collaborative strategic planning, adding that the implementation would involve strong cooperation among the levels of government , bus i nes s , communi t i es and other relevant stakeholders.
Pro f e s s o r Akpo ko dj e no t e d t ha t t he i s s ue o f sustainable management of earth's finite natural resources poses serious challenges to human society in the 21st century, pointing out that environmental sustainability and human health are under serious threat in the Niger Delta region due to oil and gas exploitation.
He stated the need to address the fundamental issue of environmental degradation and how to sustain the livelihood of people in the local areas who constitute over 60% of persons that rel y on the natural environment for existence. Professor Akpokodje also empha s i s e d t he ne e d f o r t he a ppo i nt me nt o f compet ent i ndi vi dual s t o manage i nt ervent i on agencies, arguing that appointments to critical
development agencies should not be made based on political patronage and group interest.
Akpokodje, who retired as a Professor of Engineering and Environmental Geology, served the University for forty-four years. He joined the University in 1976 as Graduate Assistant.In his reaction, the Acting Vice Chancellor , Professor Stephen Okodudu, described the Lecture as a rich harvest of 44 years of active service. The Acting Vice Chancellor stated the need to incorporate the issue of sustainability into academic curricula to transmit the knowledge of sustainable development to the next generation.