From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has reaffirmed its commitment to climate action, environmental protection, and sustainable development across the Niger Delta region, as it joined the global community to commemorate the 2026 World Environment Day in Port Harcourt.
Speaking at the event, the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Dr Victor Antai, said the Commission remained focused on implementing strategic environmental projects to restore degraded ecosystems and build climate resilience in communities across the region.
Antai, who was represented by the Director II, Environmental Protection and Control, Elder Henry Okokon, noted that the 2026 World Environment Day theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” underscored the urgent need for collective action to address environmental challenges facing communities in the Niger Delta and beyond.
According to him, the Niger Delta had borne the environmental consequences of intensive resource exploitation for decades, with oil spills, gas flaring, coastal erosion, flooding, deforestation, and poor waste disposal continuing to threaten livelihoods, biodiversity, and sustainable development.
The Executive Director stated that under the leadership of the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, the Commission had continued to place environmental sustainability at the centre of its development agenda, recognising that meaningful socio-economic progress could only be achieved within a healthy and resilient ecosystem.
He highlighted several interventions being implemented by the Commission, including environmental remediation and ecosystem restoration programmes, flood and erosion control projects, sustainable waste management initiatives, and climate-resilient livelihood schemes, all designed to improve environmental health and enhance community action.
Antai further disclosed that the NDDC was strengthening partnerships with research institutions, environmental agencies, development partners, and civil society organisations to promote the conservation of mangrove forests, wetlands, and other critical ecosystems that serve as natural buffers against climate-related disasters.
He emphasised the importance of environmental education and awareness creation, noting that the Commission was engaging schools, youth groups, women’s associations, and community stakeholders to foster a culture of environmental stewardship among the people of the region.
The Executive Director called on stakeholders, particularly operators in the oil and gas sector, to strengthen compliance with environmental regulations, embrace cleaner technologies, and demonstrate greater commitment to environmental remediation and sustainability.
He also urged communities across the Niger Delta to support conservation efforts, report environmental violations, and adopt environmentally responsive practices to contribute to a healthier, more sustainable environment.
Earlier, in a welcome address, the Director, Environmental Protection and Control, Mrs Anthonia Akpan, described World Environment Day as an annual event established by the United Nations to serve as a global platform for promoting environmental awareness.
She observed that climate change was no longer a distant concept but a reality affecting communities across the Niger Delta through rising sea levels, flooding, environmental degradation, and unpredictable weather patterns.
She noted that the Commission subjected major projects to Environmental Impact Assessments in compliance with statutory requirements, ensuring that development projects were implemented in harmony with environmental sustainability objectives.
The Director observed that the NDDC had maintained active engagement with oil and gas companies on pollution prevention and control issues while organising environmental summits that generated practical recommendations on integrated waste management, shoreline protection, canalisation, land reclamation, and biodiversity conservation.
The guest speaker, Prof. Iwekumo Agbozu, observed that climate change was not only a global environmental issue but also a local development challenge requiring coordinated responses from governments, institutions, communities, and individuals.
