LAGOS FEBRUARY 29TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Delta State gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has applauded Delta State government for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a United Kingdom based organization Serendik Capital UK for the restoration of mangrove forest, seagrass protection and preservation of the ecosystem for conservation and environmental sustainability in the riverine area of the state.

Onuesoke who made the commendation while speaking to journalists on the sideline during a climate change event held in Lagos stated  that Delta State government moves to  restore mangrove forest will save coastal communities and indigenes of   the state from flood, storm, adding that it will equally act as nurseries for fish populations and as well play an   outsize role in controlling global warming.

The PDP Chieftain who is an Environmentalist explained that studies  suggested  that mangrove forests and coastal wetlands can store carbon at a rate that is 10 times higher than terrestrial forests and have the capacity to store five times more carbon per hectare than tropical forests. While stressing on the negative effect of destruction of mangrove forest to coastal communities, Onuesoke pointed out that if a mangrove is destroyed, carbon stored in the soil is released back into the atmosphere to further compound the global climate crisis.

“This is why I am praising the Delta State government for initiating the restoration of the destroyed mangrove forest. It is a good initiative.  Communities in the coastal area  as well Nigerians in general will surely benefit  if the scheme is effectively executed,” he stated.

He recalled that communities in the coastal area were already feeling the pinch of the effect of destruction of mangrove forest by oil spills with reports of increasing incidences of heat waves, erosion, wind storms, poor harvest, acid rain and floods, assuring  that with restoration of mangrove forest things will become normal.

Quoting Sathirathai and  Barbai 2001 researches, Onuesoke disclosed that  the estimated economic value of mangrove forests to local community is in the range of $27,264  -$35,921 per hectare, stressing that this estimate includes the value of direct use of wood and other resources collected from mangroves as well as additional external benefits in terms of off-shore fishery linkages and coastline protection.

According to him, “Mangroves provide local communities with several goods free of charge. These include fish, shrimp, crabs, firewood, poles, honey, boat building material, furniture and  traditional medicine among others.

“Mangrove bark is used for colouring of cloth and nets, net preservation and glue production. Mangrove stem and branches are used as handles for traditional fan, net mending stick, handles for axes and spades, drum sticks and carving of drums. Inshort the importance of mangrove forest are numerous.”

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