In response to growing concerns over coastal flooding in Akwa Ibom State, the HEDA Resource Centre has spearheaded a crucial initiative aimed at enhancing resilience in communities most vulnerable to flood risks. As part of the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) Project, the outreach targeted Ibeno and Eastern Obolo Local Government Areas (LGAs), where coastal floods are increasingly threatening livelihoods and safety. The affected communities, including Okoroutip, Okomita, Upenekang, and Iwuo-Achang in Ibeno, alongside Okorobokho, Okoroete, Okorobobo, and Akwarata in Eastern Obolo, are bounded by rich marine ecosystems and rely heavily on activities like crop farming, fish farming, and boat making. However, coastal floods, driven by changing climate patterns, pose significant risks to both their homes and agricultural lands. In Ibeno LGA, the invasive, Nypa fruticans (nipa palm), introduced historically by colonial settlers, now presents a complex environmental challenge. While the nipa palm acts as a natural shoreline protector, forming an extensive barrier against flooding and erosion, its unchecked spread—exacerbated by changing rainfall patterns—has begun to invade farmlands, disrupting local agricultural activities. As shared by the village head during HEDA’s sensitization session, the resilience provided by this plant is now a double-edged sword, with its seedlings invading areas crucial for food production. During the outreach, community elders emphasized the importance of leveraging indigenous knowledge in addressing climate variability. Their deep understanding of the environment, passed down through generations, underscores the need for locally adapted solutions to the escalating threat of coastal floods. Many participants also highlighted the role of blocked water channels and poor waste disposal in exacerbating flood risks, calling for climate-smart infrastructure tailored to local needs. Such structures, designed with community input, could mitigate the impacts of flooding while addressing broader environmental issues. HEDA’s engagement with these communities focused on empowering them with actionable strategies, including the importance of maintaining clear waterways, utilizing early warning systems, and adopting climate-resilient farming techniques. The outreach further underscored the necessity for government support in designing and implementing protective measures for lowland areas prone to recurring floods. This initiative is part of a broader campaign, supported by OXFAM and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, aimed at building adaptive capacities in frontline communities. HEDA continues to call on relevant authorities and stakeholders to intensify efforts in safeguarding these vulnerable populations, ensuring they are not left defenseless against the mounting challenges posed by climate change.

On October 4, 2024, the HEDA Resource Centre launched a vital outreach program aimed at enhancing flood resilience in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. This initiative, part of the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ), targets high-risk flood zones identified by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), particularly focusing on coastal communities. The outreach was led by HEDA’s Environmental Justice and Sustainability Development Program Officer, Akinmayowa Shobo and Mr. Tajudeen Olayemi, who facilitated comprehensive training sessions in the Igbokoda community. The training brought together key local stakeholders—including members of fishermen associations, market leaders, educators, youth leaders, and local government officials —to discuss critical issues such as flood risk assessment, early warning systems, and effective disaster management techniques. During the session, community members voiced significant concerns regarding persistent blockages in drainage canals, which have intensified flooding in the area. Participants emphasized the need for improved waste management practices and better drainage infrastructure to protect vital public spaces, including markets, health centers, and schools. Highlighting the connection between sanitation and flood resilience, Shobo remarked, “Flood mitigation goes hand in hand with proper sanitation and hygiene practices. Proper waste management reduces blockages in drainage systems, allowing floodwaters to disperse more effectively.” The HEDA team extended their outreach efforts to Ayetoro, a coastal community suffering from severe flooding due to the Atlantic Ocean’s encroachment. Supported by local participants from Igbokoda, HEDA made a 45-minute drive followed by a 15-minute boat ride to Ayetoro, where they were welcomed by community leaders, including the Youth Spokesman, Comrade Thompson O. Akingboye, and Oba Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi (JP). At the king’s palace, discussions highlighted the community’s alarming history with flooding, which has plagued Ayetoro since 2000. Once a thriving area established in 1947, the community now faces dire challenges as rising sea levels have submerged over 90% of its land, transforming streets into waterways navigable only by canoe. Women leaders shared poignant accounts of how the ocean, once several miles away, now threatens their homes and livelihoods, with heartbreaking stories of lives lost and property destroyed. Despite previous government interventions aimed at shoreline protection, including significant investments in 2004 and 2009, community members expressed frustration over failed projects and the lack of meaningful progress. In a unified call to action, the community is demanding urgent shoreline protection measures and support from offshore oil companies. They are also insisting on an investigation into past intervention failures, highlighting their neglect in the face of growing environmental threats. HEDA’s outreach in Ilaje, Ondo State, is part of a larger commitment to promote climate resilience throughout Nigeria, working closely with frontline communities to raise awareness, provide technical support, and advocate for proactive measures against flooding.

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), a non-governmental organization, has called on farmers and residents in flood-prone areas to heed warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and other relevant authorities regarding climate change. Executive Secretary of the Organisation, (HEDA). Mr.Sulaimon Arigbabu made the disclosure during awareness and sensitization campaign on the effects of the climate change in communities of Demsa and Yola-South local councils in Adamawa state. The campaign, part of the African Activists for Climate Justice project in partnership with OXFAM and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, aims to educate communities about climate change impacts and flood management. Arigbabu emphasized that Adamawa is endowed with fertile agricultural land and dedicated farmers who need minimal support to maximize their potential and contribute to feeding both the state and the Northeast region. “Adamawa is blessed with fatal agrarian land with committed farmers that need few support from the authorities to harness their potentials and by extension feed the state and the Northeast in general.” He added. In interactive sessions held in Zurang, Mbamba, and Yolde-pate communities, HEDA’s team explained the importance of adopting drought- and flood-resistant seeds to mitigate crop losses. In Zurang, where floodwaters had already caused significant damage to farmland, HEDA provided practical advice on methods to minimize further losses. The organisation also stressed the need for farmers to stay informed about climate change updates from relevant agencies before planting crops, whether in rainy or dry seasons. On their part, the local farmers, including Mrs. Lakammi Yakubu from Yolde-pate and Mr. Yakubu Borough from Zurang expressed their gratitude for the timely intervention and pledged to share the information with their communities to enhance farming practices. They also expressed their readiness to implement the lessons learned from the sensitization drive and appealed for additional support, particularly in the form of farming inputs and irrigation equipment. In addition, they also requested further assistance, including water pumps, generators, and borehole drilling for irrigation, to boost their yields. HEDA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability through research, training, advocacy, and policy engagement.

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has expressed deep condolences to the victims of the devastating floods that have displaced over 300 communities and affected hundreds of people in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State. The floods have destroyed homes, submerged farmlands, and left many, especially women and children, in dire conditions, forcing them to seek refuge in makeshift internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. In a statement signed by HEDA’s Executive Secretary, Sulaimon Arigbabu, the organization called on local, state and federal governments to provide immediate relief to affected communities and emphasized the need for authorities to take early warning signals more seriously, more so, when agencies like the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) had released their forecasts (warnings) early enough. Meanwhile, during its community outreach on flood sensitization to frontline communities in numerous states including Bauchi, Benue, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Kwara, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, including Niger advocacy visits to Lwafu and Jaagi in Mokwa back in August, HEDA raised alarms about the threat of flooding and sensitized the people on the impact of flooding, and how to avoid them. The outreach employed townhall meetings and the use of IEC materials to educate communities on how to prepare, cope with and recover from incidents of flooding. Arigbabu stressed the importance of proactive disaster management, stating: “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families affected by this tragic flooding. The magnitude of the impact of this disaster could have been reasonably reduced if timely actions had been taken following NiMet’s 20204 Seasonal Climate Predictions (SCP), NIHSA’s 2024 National Flood Outlook, as well as our warnings in same regard. He also raised concerns about potential health crises, as floodwaters have mixed with sewage and other waste bodies, creating the risk of disease outbreaks. Furthermore, the destruction of farmlands poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s food security, as the flooding will likely impact food production and worsen the economic challenges faced by these communities. Arigbabu called on the government to not only provide immediate relief but to implement sustainable, long-term flood prevention strategies. “The people of Mokwa and other flooding victims across the country need urgent attention, and we stand with them during this challenging time,” he added. Similarly, HEDA commiserated with the families of the victims of the boat mishap in Niger State and prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased. The organisation urged the government to expand the scope of its surveillance of inland waters to ensure people’s safety and prosecute boat operators violating the ban on night sailing. HEDA reiterated its commitment to advocating for sustainable environmental and disaster management policies to protect vulnerable communities across Nigeria.

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has announced the kickoff of public voting for the 7th edition of the prestigious Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Awards (GFIIA) 2024. Held annually, the GFIIA Awards provide the public an opportunity to nominate individuals who exemplify integrity and impact in society. Following a rigorous screening process by the HEDA, 16 outstanding nominees have been shortlisted across various award categories for voting. The public voting phase, which began Thursday, October 3, 2024, and runs through Friday, November 8, 2024, can be accessed through the Awards website: https://gfa.hedang.org. HEDA’s Chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, emphasized the purpose of the GFIIA Awards as a means to inspire positive change in societal attitudes toward corruption and to celebrate those who demonstrate unwavering impact and integrity, even in the face of challenges. “The GFIIA Awards process is comprehensive and inclusive, involving public participation from nominations to final voting. The nominees have gone through a thorough multi-stage screening by a panel of experts, with the final list submitted to the Awards Board, made up of distinguished personalities,” Suraju stated. The GFIIA Awards Board is chaired by Prof. Itse Sagay SAN, co-chaired by Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, and includes notable figures like Prof. Ayo Atsenua, Prof. Nsongurua Udombana, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, Dr. Abiola Akiode-Afolabi, Comrade Chuka Achude, and Comrade Femi Aborisade. HEDA received 203 nominations during the open call. After careful review and analysis, the following nominees have been shortlisted across four award categories: Outstanding Impact Award: Dr. Lola Odeyale, Akingbade Toluwa-Jolomi, Njoku Chibueze, President Aigbokhan, Dr. Abel Abraham, Lukman Oladimeji, Dinatu Dama Maji, Buhari Yerima, Idris Bilyaminu, and Kelvin Jombo. Outstanding Integrity Award nominees includes: Ezenwa Samson, Oriyomi Hamzat, and Sulyman Hannafi. For the Valuable Whistle-blower Award, Ibrahim Ali and Adekunle Olawunmi were shortlisted. Mrs. Saidat Oluwatuyi is the sole nominee who successfully passed the screening process for the Nigeria-In-Diaspora Award. HEDA Resource Centre encourages the public to participate actively in this process and help honor those who embody the values of impact and integrity championed by the late Gani Fawehinmi. Voting ends on November 8, 2024. For more details on the GFIIA 2024 and to cast your vote, visit https://gfa.hedang.org.

In a concerted effort to tackle the pervasive allegations of corruption within Nigeria’s judiciary, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, will host the 37th Anti-Corruption Situation Room (ACSR) on October 16-17, 2024. This conference will focus on providing effective strategies for transparency and accountability in the judiciary. The theme of this pivotal event, “Addressing Corruption in the Judiciary and Providing Effective Strategies for Transparency and Accountability,” is particularly timely in light of alarming findings from the recent corruption survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and UNODC. Released in July 2024, the survey revealed that an estimated $1.23 billion (approximately N721 billion) was paid in bribes to public officials in Nigeria during 2023, with a significant portion directed towards the judiciary. These figures highlight a persistent issue that demands urgent attention, especially given recent high-profile cases of judicial corruption, including attempts to bribe judicial officials during election proceedings. In a statement signed by HEDA Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the organization emphasized that the integrity of the judiciary is at stake. He noted the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders including judicial leaders, civil society, and government officials to address these systemic challenges. “This ACSR will serve as a vital platform for dialogue and collaborative reform efforts. The event will not only assess the current state of judicial corruption but will also focus on developing actionable recommendations aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability within the system,” Suraju stated. He further added, “Key objectives of the conference include increasing understanding of the challenges faced by judicial officers, fostering engagement between academia and civil society, and collaborating with the newly appointed Chief Justice of Nigeria on reform agenda. Meanwhile, the expected outcomes from the conference include a comprehensive understanding of judicial corruption, the formulation of reform recommendations, and strengthened partnerships among stakeholders to effectively combat corruption in the judiciary. Participants including legal scholars, judiciary leaders, anti-corruption advocates, government officials, and representatives from international organizations, will have the opportunity to engage in discussions on strategies to eliminate corruption and ensure that the judiciary remains a bastion of justice for all Nigerians.

In an effort to address climate change and flooding, HEDA Resource Centre is set to host the October edition of its monthly advocacy series, “Chatting with HEDA,” on X-Space. The virtual program will take place on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 3:00 PM WAT, focusing on the pressing issue of flooding in frontline communities across Nigeria. This month’s topic, “The Recurrent Flood in Frontline Communities in Nigeria: Is This Climate Change or Governance Gap,” will delve into the multifaceted challenges of flooding and its implications for affected communities. The discussion aims to provide insights into whether these recurrent floods are primarily driven by climate change or reflect deeper governance issues. The guest speaker for this session is Mrs. Ayoola Kassim, a seasoned journalist and producer at Channels TV. With her extensive background in reporting on environmental issues, Mrs. Kassim will bring a valuable journalistic perspective to the conversation, enriching the discussion and fostering thoughtful dialogue. The “Chatting with HEDA” X-Space series serves as a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on critical societal issues. This month’s discussion is particularly relevant as it seeks to identify solutions and strategies to combat the challenges posed by recurrent flooding in vulnerable communities. The event is open to the public, and HEDA encourages active participation from attendees. This is a unique opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue and explore innovative approaches to mitigate the impacts of flooding. HEDA looks forward to welcoming participants to this important event and continuing the conversation on flooding and climate resilience in Nigeria. Link to Join:

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), an NGO, in collaboration with the Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN) has sensitized climate frontline communities on flood in Nasarawa State. Sulaimon Arigbabu, Executive Secretary, HEDA Resource Centre said this in Doma Local Government Area of the state. According to him, flood outreach awareness became necessary, given that most far and hard-to-reach communities lack access to the right information about flood outlook and weather forecast to be able to prepare for the flood. Arigbabu explained that when people have access to the right information and knowledge about their circumstances, they can help themselves better and avert disaster that comes with heavy rain and dry spells. He added, ‘We are currently working on flood awareness and sensitization for the climate frontline community, we have been going to several states in the country and we still have many more to go. “In these states, we are learning from the people about their experiences as regards flooding and other climate incidences like drought, and dry spells among others. For instance, did they get to know there would be a flood, did they get the information on time, how did they get the information and how did they prepare themselves, their challenges, and what government agencies are responding to them,” he said. Arigbabu further noted that the information and data collected aimed to help relevant Government Agencies and NGOs see the gap and plan better to be more effective in their work. “Some of these communities are not even aware of the flood outlook released by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), is not as if the information is not available, the gap is in the dissemination. Access to improved seeds that can help reduce their loss is difficult, so, is about access, availability, and affordability of the things they need,” he emphasized. Mr Jonathan Joshua, ASSAPIN National President, said the benefiting communities were selected based on the weather forecast and flood outlook by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency. “The flood risks awareness is kind of information we are giving to the communities, especially riverine communities to help them prepared, if they don’t prepare the flood will take them unaware, and they will lose more. He listed the benefiting communities to include; Rukubi, Akpanaja, Odori, Agyema, Ijiwo Okpatta, Ruti, and Iwashi communities, all in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa state. Godwin Zauka and Mustapha Okaku, participants, while thanking the organizers said it was the first time to receive sensitization on flooding, preparation, and safety tips to avert loss. They said the flood has been a recurring event in their communities that led to the loss of their farm produce and property yearly. The ‘Flood Awareness and sensitization’ for climate frontline communities, which HEDA Resource Centre is implementing in Nasarawa state is part of the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) project, with support from Oxfam in Nigeria.