By Josiah Egbilika
The youths of Rumuolumeni have committed to protect the mangroves in their community stating that they were ignorant of the benefits of the mangroves in their community over the years.
The youths who expressed joy to Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) for citing the Accelerating Community-Led Mangrove Restoration Project in their community stated that if they had the knowledge they have gotten now about the benefit of mangrove, they would have safeguarded the resource past years.
Speaking during a Stakeholder Meeting organized by CEHRD in Rumuolumeni, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State, the Rumuolumeni Youth president, Mr. Felix Chinda stated that they as community members were ignorant of the resources in their community. He stated that their ignorance has cost them the destruction of their rich mangrove wealth as some of their mangroves have been destroyed due to industrialization, illegal refining popularly know as “kpofire”
The President who remarked that Kporfire has reduced drastically in the area lamented that their mangrove wealth has been affected. He assured that the 1500 mangroves CEHRD intends to plant in the community will be protected and secured.
Mr. Chinda further promised that the youths with the knowledge they have gained will pay an advocacy visit to the traditional leadership and also engage the community especially the youths on the need to protect the mangroves in the community.
The project which implemented by CEHRD is funded by Global Environmental Fund-Small Grant Project (GEF-SGP) Nigeria and United Nations Development Programme.
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