BENIN CITY – As part of efforts to highlight the many values of rivers and to increase public awareness around the usefulness of rivers, the Benin Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA) yesterday joined other global agencies to celebrate the World Rivers Day.
The celebration is designed to promote improved stewardship of all rivers around the world and to draw attention to the world’s rivers that are in degraded states and facing increased pressures associated with pollution, industrial development, urbanization and climate change mostly due to human activities.
The day marked by BORBDA at the bank of Ikpoba River by the Tipper Garage saw the Managing Director of the Federal Agency Engr Saliu Osifuemhe Ahmed leading other staff of BORBDA on a symbolic clean up of the river side while an excavator busied removing debris from the river.
The managing director highlighted the dangers of rivers pollution and its attendant hazards such pollutants pose to both humans who live down streams and aquatic lives in the rivers.
The theme of the World River Day which is “Waterways in Our Communities” the managing director said was in recognition of the incredible natural, cultural and recreational values of our rivers and streams as well as the extent to which they add to our quality of life.
The World Rivers Day (WRD) usually celebrated on the fourth Sunday of September every year, was marked simultaneously across Nigeria yesterday is a day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate the world’s waterways and rivers
The founder of WRD Mark Angelo underscored the importance of clean fresh water as an essential item in the fight against COVID- 19, insisting therefore that the day offered a timely opportunity for millions of people around the world to come together to commemorate the importance of healthy water and vibrant water ways.
Special focus is placed on creating public awareness on the importance of rivers, clean-ups, river restoration, protection and conservation and the need for members of the public to shun practices injurious to safe rivers and water ways.
As a result, a road show was carried out by staff of BORBDA led by the managing director, while trees were planted at the Ikpoba River side to protect its bank from needless erosion to drive home the essence of protecting our rivers and water ways.
The celebration saw the active participation of the community particularly members of the Tipper Drivers Association including representatives of the Edo State Ministry of Water Resources and those from the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
