DESTRUCTION OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS AND THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF POVERTY IN NIGER DELTA REGION

Niger Delta region is a region blessed with God given natural resources to make exploit and live a poverty free life and the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy. Unfortunately, the region is experiencing a high level of poverty, which is sometimes attributed to the various natural and human activities. It was therefore on this premise that this theoretical paper is focused. Its basic focus is on investigating the destruction of coastal ecosystems in relation to the vicious cycle of poverty in the Niger Delta region. It was discovered that the region includes coastal barrier islands, mangroves, freshwater swamp forest, and lowland rainforests, among other natural zones. The region's beaches absorb sand from coastal rivers, which is re-distributed by longshore currents and is of tremendous use to the residents in terms of salt pond supply and economic gain (coconut, banana plantation, tidal framing, center of tourist attraction, etc.). The paper further expressed that in spite of the rich natural resources of the region, the people live below poverty level and experience vicious circle of poverty as a result of the degradation of marine ecosystems, habitat loss, pollution, overfishing, damaging fishing methods, and global warming being substantial contributors to the deterioration of coastal resources. The review concluded that destruction of the coastal ecosystem has an adverse effect on the people of Niger Delta and it was recommended that there is need to increase savings and investments, in addition to barring humans from overfishing and using destructive fishing practices like, dynamites or cyanides, control and drastically reduce pollution of the water, land, and air. The government also needs to formulate and implement environmental conservation policies as to control destruction of the coastal ecosystem, industrialization and waste disposal in other to solve the problem of vicious circle of poverty in the Niger Delta region.