Access Africa for Rights and Development Initiative

Access Africa for Rights and Development Initiative An NGO with the aim of promoting accessibility and inclusion of women, youths and vulnerable people

On May 21, 2026, Access Africa and COVAP carried out a final environmental review to track Indorama Eleme Chemical and F...
11/06/2026

On May 21, 2026, Access Africa and COVAP carried out a final environmental review to track Indorama Eleme Chemical and Fertilizer Company’s response to findings from the Baseline Survey.

The exercise was led by an independent environmentalist. Soil, plant, surface water, underground water, sediment and blood samples were collected for laboratory analysis to assess current environmental conditions.

This review is part of our commitment to transparency, community health, and holding stakeholders accountable for sustainable practices.


UNDP in Nigeria
GEF Small Grants Programme
United Nations Development Programme - UNDP
Ronke Olubamise

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen environmental awareness and community participation, Access Africa featured in ...
02/06/2026

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen environmental awareness and community participation, Access Africa featured in another interactive radio session on Super 93.3 FM on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. The discussion focused on the topic: “Community Monitoring: How Residents of Host Communities Can Track Air, Water and Soil Quality.”

The session was facilitated by Comrade Uche Uche and Mr. Josiah, who enlightened listeners on practical ways communities can monitor environmental pollution and document evidence without waiting solely on governments or companies.

During the engagement, the speakers emphasized that communities are often the first to experience the effects of environmental pollution and therefore play a critical role in monitoring air, water, and soil quality. They explained how low-cost monitoring tools, citizen science approaches, and simple observation methods can help communities generate reliable environmental data.

The discussion highlighted practical monitoring methods such as the use of portable air quality sensors, water testing strips, soil testing kits, community health logs, and environmental observation records. Listeners were encouraged to document incidents such as soot deposits, strange odors, water discoloration, crop failures, fish deaths, and unusual health symptoms within their communities.

The speakers also stressed the importance of forming community monitoring teams, maintaining community logbooks, using WhatsApp groups for evidence gathering, and partnering with civil society organizations and environmental agencies to strengthen advocacy and accountability.

A major highlight of the session was the emphasis that effective environmental monitoring does not always require expensive laboratories. Consistent documentation, community participation, and credible evidence gathering can significantly support engagement with regulatory agencies and companies.

The interactive session created an important platform for public education and encouraged residents to become active participants in environmental governance and protection within their communities.

This engagement forms part of the project “Mitigating Negative Impact of Indorama Chemicals on Aleto, Eleme, Rivers State,” implemented by Access Africa and funded by the GEF Small Grants Programme, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP










UNDP in Nigeria
Ronke Olubamise

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen environmental awareness and community participation, Access Africa featured in ...
29/05/2026

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen environmental awareness and community participation, Access Africa featured in an interactive radio session on Super FM 93.3 FM on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. The discussion focused on the theme: “Roles of Communities in Environmental Governance.”

The session was anchored by Comrade Uche Uche and Mr. Nmesoma Michael Okeke, who highlighted the critical role communities play in protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development.

During the interactive engagement, the speakers emphasized that environmental governance is not limited to governments and corporations alone, but also depends heavily on active community participation. They explained that communities are often the first to detect environmental changes such as pollution, water contamination, deforestation, and biodiversity loss because they interact with their environment daily.

The discussion further explored how local knowledge and traditional ecological understanding can help shape effective environmental policies and prevent harmful practices. The speakers stressed the importance of community participation in decision-making processes, environmental monitoring, advocacy, and accountability.

Listeners were also enlightened on how communities can support compliance and enforcement by reporting environmental violations, documenting evidence, and promoting responsible environmental practices through local structures and community-based initiatives.

A key highlight of the session was the emphasis on recognizing communities not merely as stakeholders, but as rights-holders, data producers, and co-managers in environmental governance. The speakers noted that effective environmental governance depends on access to information, legal recognition, and safe spaces for community participation without fear of retaliation.

The radio talk created an important platform for public engagement, awareness creation, and dialogue on the need for collective action in addressing environmental challenges affecting communities.

This engagement forms part of the project “Mitigating Negative Impact of Indorama Chemicals on Aleto, Eleme, Rivers State,” implemented by Access Africa and funded by the GEF Small Grants Programme, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP.







UNDP in Nigeria
Ronke Olubamise

22/05/2026

Access Africa was Live at Super 93.3 FM to sensitize the public on the effect of pollution to the public and what the community should do.


GEF Small Grants Programme
United Nations Development Programme - UNDP
UNDP in Nigeria
Ronke Olubamise

08/05/2026

Access Africa in partnership with Stevalice Global Resources Limited carried out a rally to sensitise Korokoro and Ueken communities on the need to sustain the Water Facility built by HYPREP.

The facility is mounted at Korokoro but serves both communities.


In a continued effort to seek for the implementation of key findings and recommendations of its recent baseline report o...
01/05/2026

In a continued effort to seek for the implementation of key findings and recommendations of its recent baseline report on the negative impact of Indorama chemical waste, Access Africa carried out an advocacy visit to the Rivers State Ministry of Health on April 30, 2026. The engagement focused on the documented public health implications of the operations of Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited (IEFCL) on communities in Aleto, Akpajo, and Ogale.

The meeting brought together Access Africa, representative of the Permanent Secretary and some staff of the Ministry of Health, Chairman of the Project Management Team (PMT) Dr. Moses Bereiweriso, Director of Inspectorate of the Rivers State Ministry of Environment and the Community Vanguard for Anti-Pollution (COVAP) with representation from the three target communities.

In his opening remarks, Dr. David Vareba, Executive Director of Access Africa, appreciated the Ministry for the warm reception and highlighted the progress made so far in the project, including key findings and impacts recorded within the affected communities.

A major highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the baseline report by Mr. Kingsley Ozegbe, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Consultant for Access Africa. The report outlined the severe health risks linked to chemical waste exposure, as revealed through empirical research, and its implications for the well-being of residents in the affected communities. It also provided clear recommendations and practical steps to mitigate these risks.

The Rivers State Ministry of Health received the advocacy brief and key message of the advocacy with great empathy, emphasizing that the findings pose serious threats to public health. They stressed the urgency of a coordinated response and underscored the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration. In particular, the Ministry recommended engaging the Ministry of Water Resources as a critical stakeholder in addressing the broader environmental and health implications.

The Ministry further expressed its readiness to collaborate with Access Africa, relevant Ministries, and COVAP to ensure sustainable interventions and to support constructive engagement with Indorama in the interest of protecting community health and the environment. The representative of the Permanent Secretary Dr. Ndubuisi Akpuh, Director of Public Health noted that issues of livelihood loss, environmental degradation and health challenges are interwoven arising primarily through one source: unregulated industrial activities. Consequently, he stressed that it is the reason why it is imperative for concerned Ministries to collaborate to ensure that there is adequate intervention to revive the environment, health and livelihood of the people.

Towards the close of the meeting, COVAP members were formally introduced to the Ministry to strengthen continuity and sustainability of engagement. The Ministry affirmed its commitment to working closely with Access Africa and its partners going forward.

The engagement was attended by Access Africa staff, Representative of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and some of its staff, Ministry of Environment and members of COVAP.

This activity forms part of the project “Mitigating Negative Impact of Indorama Chemicals on Aleto, Eleme, Rivers State,” implemented by Access Africa and funded by the GEF Small Grants Programme, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP.







UNDP in Nigeria
Ronke Olubamise

In a continued push for environmental safety of Eleme communities, Access Africa carried out an advocacy visit to the Ri...
29/04/2026

In a continued push for environmental safety of Eleme communities, Access Africa carried out an advocacy visit to the Rivers State Ministry of Environment on April 29, 2026. The essence of the advocacy was to present the findings of the baseline study, which Access Africa conducted in Aleto, Akpajo and Ogale.

The meeting took place at the Ministry’s temporal office at the Rivers State Civic Centre Moscow Road, Port Harcourt and brought together Access Africa, Directors and Heads of Departments of the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, and the Community Vanguard for Anti-Pollution (COVAP), who are representatives of COVAP of the three communities.

Dr. David Vareba, Executive Director of Access Africa, opened the session by thanking the Permanent Secretary for hosting the team and highlighted the positive impacts of project activities in the communities.

The session’s high point was the presentation of the baseline report by Mr. Kingsley Ozegbe, M&E Consultant for Access Africa. The report exposed the severe environmental and health imapct of chemical waste and outlined actionable recommendations to address the the environmental squalor in the area.

The Ministry officials expressed deep concern and praised the research efforts. They committed to long-term and short-term measures, collaborating with relevant Ministries and COVAP to ensure sustainable solutions and to constructively engage Indorama, emphasizing that harm to one community affects all.

At the close, COVAP members were formally introduced to the Ministry to strengthen ongoing collaboration and to ensure sustainability. Access Africa and COVAP now have a reinforced commitment with the Ministry to drive change.

This engagement is part of the project “Mitigating Negative Impact of Indorama Chemicals on Aleto, Eleme, Rivers State”, implemented by Access Africa and funded by the GEF Small Grants Programme, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP







UNDP in Nigeria
Ronke Olubamise

In a continued effort to advance the implementation of key findings and recommendations, an advocacy visit was carried o...
28/04/2026

In a continued effort to advance the implementation of key findings and recommendations, an advocacy visit was carried out to the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture on the documented adverse implications of the operations of Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited (IEFCL) on agricultural productivity, agro-livelihood security, food security, and food safety in Aleto, Akpajo, and Ogale communities. The meeting was held at the Rivers State Veterinary Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Rumuodomaya, the temporal office space of the Ministry, following the renovation of the Rivers State Secretariat.

At the meeting, which took place on April 27, 2026, were Access Africa, representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Community Vanguard for Anti-Pollution (COVAP).

In his opening remarks, Dr. David Vareba, the Executive Director of Access Africa, expressed appreciation to the Permanent Secretary, the Head of the Agriculture Department, and the Head of Forestry for receiving the team and creating time out of their busy schedules to host the advocacy engagement. He provided a comprehensive overview of the project activities carried out so far, highlighting key results and the positive impacts recorded within the affected communities.

A major highlight of the engagement was the presentation of the baseline report by Mr. Kingsley Ozegbe, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Consultant for Access Africa. The report detailed the severe environmental and agricultural implications of harmful chemical waste, as revealed through empirical research, and its impact on the health, environment, and livelihoods of the Eleme people. It also outlined practical recommendations and strategic steps required to address the situation.

The Permanent Secretary and heads of departments, who expressed strong concern and enthusiasm following the presentation, pledged to support the implementation of the report’s recommendations. They also committed to collaborating with Access Africa, relevant Ministries, and COVAP to constructively engage Indorama in the coming days, emphasizing that harm to one community ultimately affects all.

At the close of the meeting, members of COVAP were formally introduced to the Ministry to ensure sustainability of engagement. The Ministry affirmed its readiness to work closely with Access Africa and its partners going forward.

The engagement was attended by Access Africa staff, environmental stakeholders, representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, and members of COVAP.

This activity forms part of the project “Mitigating Negative Impact of Indorama Chemicals on Aleto, Eleme, Rivers State,” implemented by Access Africa and funded by the GEF Small Grants Programme, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP.







UNDP in Nigeria
Ronke Olubamise

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#5 Uyo Street, Rumuomasi
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Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00
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