By Elvira Jordan
Climate justice advocate Smith Nwokocha has issued a stark warning to the Rivers State Government and local residents, urging immediate action against climate change to prevent a catastrophic disaster akin to Nepal’s recent deadly surge.
Speaking during a live broadcast on Exceed FM, Nwokocha—Coordinator of the Port Harcourt-based NGO Quest For Growth and Development—stressed that the consequences of environmental neglect are already crippling communities across the Niger Delta.
“The impacts of climate change are already upon us here in Rivers State,” Nwokocha said. “You can see it in severe flooding, relentless erosion, and coastal lands gradually disappearing underwater.”
Pointing to Nepal’s recent glacier-collapse flood that claimed hundreds of lives, Nwokocha cautioned that while Nigeria lacks glaciers, the region’s unique vulnerabilities pose an equally devastating threat.
“Our primary risk right now is flooding,” he warned. “We must act before we are caught completely off guard.”
A Call for Structural and Waste Reform
To mitigate the impending crisis, Nwokocha outlined urgent measures for state authorities, including:
- Drainage Overhaul: Expanding water channels and clearing choked drainage systems across urban centers.
- Waste Management: Overhauling garbage collection protocols to stop Port Harcourt from becoming an open dumping ground.
- Public Education: Launching grassroots awareness campaigns on proper waste disposal to prevent blocked waterways.
Beyond government policy, Nwokocha called on private citizens to actively participate in environmental protection through tree-planting initiatives.
He also challenged the National Council on Climate Change to end political posturing and aggressively target industrial pollution, specifically gas flaring and methane emissions.
Concluding his appeal, Nwokocha urged the state assembly and executive to establish a dedicated Rivers State Climate Change Commission to drive localized disaster preparedness.
“We don’t have to wait for a Nepal-scale tragedy to strike before we act,” he warned.
