By Diana Omueza

Nigerian Indigenous Women in Mining and Natural Resources Organisation (NIWIMNRO) has provided potable water to Kuchiko Community in Tafa Local Government Area of Niger.

Ms Felicia Dairo, Executive Director of the group, said this at the inauguration of a borehole in Kuchiko on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project is with support from the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.

Dairo said that the borehole would create visibility, especially for the local miners in the community who were mostly women.

She said that the borehole was a direct response to the urgent need for clean and safe water for the women and children in the community that consume contaminated water.

“The borehole is a significant milestone, we have seen the health implication of the contaminated water they consume and we want to ease the stress for the women and by extension help the community.

“As an organisation working for women in the mining sector, this is part of our mandate to ensure women are empowered, recognised and valued as contributors to sustainable development.

“This intervention is not just a convenience, it is a life-changing shift that improves health, saves time, and restores dignity,” she said.

Dairo said that beyond the borehole, the group was focussed on amplifying the role of women in sustaining the mining value chain, socially, economically, and environmentally.

She said that the Kuchiko-Camp was not merely another rural settlement but a beacon of untapped human capital, driven by the strength, creativity, and leadership of its women.

She called for collaborations and partnership with other civil groups, donor agencies and the government to empower artisanal miners in the country.

Dairo said that with the appropriate intervention, miners would be fully formalised and middlemen extortion and other exploitation eliminated.

She called for legal protections, economic recognition, and institutional support to motivate women in mining by empowering them and enhancing their vision.

Mrs Halima Ibrahim, Assistant Director, Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Department, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, said the borehole was through the government’s extensive support services to women in mining.

According to Ibrahim, government is encouraging mining activities and supporting informal mining groups to formalise their activities.

“The government’s commitment to enhance mining makes it easier when groups reach out to us to help them access the miners in different communities across the country.

“We see it as an opportunity for the government to continue its exercise and these informal women miners in this community are among those our department is assisting to formalise their activities,” she said.

She said that the women in the community were in the final process of formalising their cooperative, adding that this would gain them more visibility for government and stakeholders’ interventions.

Mrs Victoria Samuel, a member of the Kuchiko Informal Women Mining Group, appreciated the organisation for empowering the community with potable water after over 40 years of existence.

“For over 40 years, we go to the river to fetch water to drink, cook, wash our clothes and it is the same water we wash the minerals we mine and cows also graze and drink from the water.

“Many of our people have fallen sick and died due to the bad water consumption because we can’t afford to buy sachet water to drink.

“All that will change now because we now have good source of water, our health will improve. We will no longer walk long distances to fetch water and our children will finally see good and clean water,” she said.

She appreciated the organisation and requested for more interventions especially in the provision of infant and maternal health facilities and schools for children.

Mr Samuel Hassan, the Chief of the community, said that the borehole had brought to an end the consumption of polluted water and the long-suffering walk of women in search of water.

“Where we fetch water is very far and the water is polluted. But all that is over now with this borehole,” he said.

He appealed to the government to provide hospitals or medical facilities for women, schools for children and access road to the community. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

By Aisha Cole

The Oceandeep Service Ltd. has urged the National Assembly to enact a bill that will put an end to the harassment of seafarers onboard ships.

The Chief Executive of Oceandeep Service Ltd., Mrs Rollens Macfoy, made the plea during the 2025 celebration of seafarers held in Lagos on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the global maritime community celebrates the Day of the Seafarer every June 25.

NAN reports that this year, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) launched the campaign ‘My Harassment-Free Ship,’ an initiative to promote a culture of respect and zero tolerance for bullying and harassment at sea.

“We are pleading with the legislators to enact a bill to stop harassment onboard ships. Every shipping company should be aware of the bill to enable them to checkmate harassment on duties.

“Harassment is not only from officers to ratings; it could be from ratings (junior officers) to officers as well, and it also goes beyond that.

“If there are pronounced punishments for offenders, then manning agents, shipowners, crew, and seafarers will be aware and be careful on duties, and we will have a smooth sail,” Macfoy said.

Macfoy, who is also the President of Women in Maritime Africa (WIMAfrica), commended the seafarers for their perseverance while on duties.

She said that many people do not know what seafarers go through in the course of their duties.

Macfoy added that they do without seeing their family for many months, and yet they face harassment in doing their jobs.

She recalled during the COVID-19 pandemic when no one could go to work except seafarers, who worked tirelessly to ensure they protect cargoes of goods to points of destination.

Macfoy described seafarers as the heartbeat of the nation’s economy, adding that without them, no goods would go to the market.

Also speaking, the Continental Coordinator of WIMAfrica, Mrs Gloria Kanabe, commended Macfoy for being passionate about the welfare of seafarers.

“From one of Oceandeep’s programmes I attended, I was compelled to mentor two seafarers.

“Today, one of them has been engaged on an ocean-going vessel, while the second mentee seafarer is having his sea time experience,” Kanabe said.

She urged the Federal Government to rise up to its responsibility to flag Nigerian vessels to encourage more youths into the profession.

The Human Resources Manager, LTT Coastal Marine Service Ltd., Mrs Theodora Nwaeze, urged shipping companies to respect seafarers and support the 2025 theme of seafarers’ celebrations, “My Harassment-Free Ship”.

She said that there was a seafarers’ policy which guides operators onboard vessels, adding that harassment cases had not been checkmated by the government authority.

Nwaeze urged maritime stakeholders to continue sensitising the public, especially maritime operators, to reduce the level of harassment on seafarers.

The Chief Executive Officer, MMS Maritime Magazine, Mr Kingsley Anaroke, said Nigerian seafarers were synonymous with pain, hunger, and poverty.

Anaroke added that stakeholders should start celebrating seafarers and encourage them to speak up when they are being harassed at work.

A seafarer with LTT Coastal Marine Service, Capt. Zainab Bello, commended the IMO for setting a day aside to celebrate them.

She also advised ratings and officers to imbibe ethics to enhance smooth sailing and encouraged more youth participation.

One of the awardees for long service, self-respect, professionalism, and good conduct, Mr Gods-Power Darlington, appreciated the service for celebrating them.

Darlington and the other awardees promised to continue to be good ambassadors of Nigeria during the course of their duties. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa

By Hussaina Yakubu

The Kaduna State Government has intensified dredging and expansion of waterways in flood-prone areas, as part of efforts to avert the devastation caused by last year’s flooding.

This followed early warnings by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which listed Kaduna among the states expected to experience heavy rainfall, flash floods, and windstorms during the 2025 rainy season.

During an inspection of dredging works at Ifira, along the Kaduna International Airport Road in Igabi Local Government Area, the Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Abubakar Buba, said several vulnerable locations had been identified and marked for urgent intervention.

“This entire place was blocked before, but we have now opened up about 800 metres of the river channel.

“It will ease water flow and help prevent a repeat of last year’s disaster,” Buba said.

He stated that the road was a key access route to the Kaduna International Airport and must remain passable throughout the season.

Buba assured the residents of the government’s resolve to ensure a flood-free rainy season but cautioned against indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage systems.

He disclosed that a Mobile Court under the Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA) had been set up to prosecute individuals found dumping waste into waterways.

The commissioner said the dredging was being jointly supervised by the Ministry, Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), the National Orientation Agency (NOA), and other stakeholders.

Other flood-prone areas marked for similar intervention included parts of Zaria, Kafanchan, and some sections of the state capital.

At the bridge linking Kaduna metropolis to the airport, an area previously threatened by erosion, Buba reiterated government’s commitment.

“We are doing everything humanly possible to avoid flood disasters this year,” he said.

Mr Sanjay Sharma, Manager of Sun-Agro Soya Oil Refining Company located in the area, described the effort as timely and commendable.

“Last year’s flood was devastating. Many farmers lost their produce. This early intervention by the government is a huge relief,” Sharma said.

Also speaking, the Village Head of Ifira, Malam Balarabe Abubakar, said the dredging would safeguard local farmland and prevent loss of harvest.

“Our farmlands used to be washed away annually. This project will definitely protect our crops,” he said.

The Chief Disaster Risk Reduction Officer at NEMA, Ikramat Umar, commended Kaduna’s proactive approach.

“This bridge is a critical infrastructure. One of the best ways to manage disasters is to prevent them before they happen,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Olaitan Idris

An environmental expert, Prof. Babajide Alo, says Nigeria stands to benefit significantly from the economic and environmental opportunities offered by the newly adopted international ocean treaty.

Alo disclosed this in interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.

He said the treaty would promote sustainable use of ocean resources, create jobs, and open Nigeria to global benefit-sharing mechanisms.

NAN reports that the recently signed ocean treaty, also known as the High Seas Treaty or Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, aims to protect marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, covering over 64 per cent of the world’s oceans.

It aims to safeguard biodiversity in the two-thirds of the ocean that lies outside of national jurisdictions.

This landmark agreement is expected to usher in a new era of ocean governance and offer opportunities for sustainable use of marine resources.

This historic agreement was adopted by the United Nations in June 2023, after nearly two decades of negotiations.

Alo, Nigeria’s lead negotiator for the BBNJ Treaty, described the treaty as a landmark agreement with the potential to revolutionise the way we manage and conserve the world’s oceans.

“The BBNJ Treaty, also known as the High Seas Treaty, aims to regulate areas beyond national jurisdiction, which covers approximately 75 per cent of the world’s oceans.

“These areas, often referred to as the ‘high seas,’ are crucial for sustaining human life, and their conservation is essential for the health of our planet.

“Nigeria actively participated in the negotiations, recognising the potential benefits of the treaty, including access to new areas for oil and gas exploration, as well as diverse biological resources,” he said.

The expert said with the treaty in place, Nigeria and other countries would have the opportunity to access and benefit from the vast resources of the high seas.

“These will include marine genetic resources, which have the potential to lead to breakthroughs in medicine and other fields.

“There is no doubt that Nigeria can benefit immensely from the vast resources and opportunities provided by the ocean.

“With this new treaty now in place, particularly through the implementation of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), we have an opportunity for both economic growth and sustainable development.

Alo noted that the EIAs were critical tools that guide responsible exploitation of marine resources, helping to protect biodiversity while enabling economic activity.

“If all marine-related activities are carried out with the EIAs in place, Nigeria can achieve long-term sustainability in ocean use,” he said.

He added that the treaty would bring social and economic benefits, particularly in job creation and foreign revenue.

“As we implement the elements of the treaty, there will be demand for people who will go out and cultivate marine genetic resources.

“The capturing and study of new marine species, for example, will feed into research and industry. From medicine to cosmetics, ultimately benefiting the economy,” he said.

Alo expressed optimism that Nigerian leaders would recognise the potential and act swiftly.

“We are praying and hoping that our leaders will quickly see the value in this initiative.

“The benefits will not only create jobs but also bring new revenue streams through a global fund attached to the treaty.

According to him, once Nigeria becomes a party to the treaty, it will be eligible to access this fund, which is designated for countries contributing to the implementation of its objectives.

“Benefit sharing is a key element in the treaty. I cannot put exact figures now, but it could run into millions of dollars,” he said.

Alo also called for urgent policy reforms to tackle marine pollution and illegal fishing.

“We need to strengthen pollution control measures so that our oceans are less polluted.

“Also, illegal fishing in our coastal waters must be addressed through enforceable policies. Reducing these activities will boost our marine economy and preserve our resources.

“The new treaty, adopted under the United Nations framework, is aimed at conserving and sustainably using marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma