…As communities laments lack of access to Apoi forest reserve

Indigenes of communities from the Apoi Creek Forest Reserve in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, said restrictions on access to the reserve, combined with oil pollution and declining biodiversity, have progressively reduced their sources of food and income, particularly for women who depend on fishing, farming and forest products.

The Apoi Creek Forest Reserve in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, is a globally recognized wetland site and a critical ecosystem. It is the primary habitat of the critically endangered Niger Delta Red Colobus monkey and a vital source of livelihood for surrounding communities like Apoi, Gbanraun, and Kokologbene.

The concerns were raised during a two-day engagement in Apoi, organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment.

The first day featured a community dialogue involving residents of Apoi, Gbanraun and Kokolo Ama, the three communities that own the Apoi nature reserve, while the second day focused on training women from the communities on issues relating to the environment, livelihoods and the project.

The engagement is part of the UNDP-supported project, ‘Accelerating Nature and Climate Action to Advance Nigeria’s Net Zero and “30×30” Targets’, under the Global Net Zero Nature Positive Accelerator Integrated Programme funded by the Global Environment Facility.

The project seeks to strengthen institutions and catalyse investments for nature-positive and net-zero pathways in Nigeria, including ecosystem conservation and restoration, community engagement and clean-energy investments.

Speaking on the campaign, Cadmus Atake-Enade, said the project is about educating and enlightening the community people about what they are to expect about the project in terms of conserving and protecting their forest reserved area,

He said, “And so far since yesterday we’ve been in Apoi and we’ve been able to harness a lot of information, the people’s interest in the forest, their benefits and as well as their challenges.

“Today we are here again to talk with the women folks, to listen to them, to hear the impact of environmental degradation on their health and their environment in particular.

“And so far we’ve been able to get a lot of information from them, a lot of detailed information concerning the challenges they’ve been facing as community people, as relating to their environment, as relating to their community forest.”

He concluded that the project hope to advocate and to expound the community voices in terms of forest protection, conservation, the impact it has on the people’s life and livelihood.

Some of the communities folks including women and leaders, including Chief Kurobo Don Jacob, Ebidaghe Kemela, Stella Oyege and chief Ebikeseye Bipeledei, who spoke at the event, appreciate the organizers of the program, describing their pains as excruciating.

According to Chief Bipeledei, “All the resource persons were very powerful. It was an expert presentation. It was a sentimental message they have given to us.

“We are well drilled. We have learned enough from them. And we are ready to pass it on with them.

“They have tried. They have enlightened us very well. We have learned things we are supposed to know as regards to our environment.

“And how to turn it to profit for our mutual benefit. For the generation unborn. And how to keep our culture, our heritage, and the environment.”