Photo: Hensard University Campus
By: Mandy Park
Hensard University, Toru Orua, Bayelsa State, is partnering with the Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) and the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) to organise a one-day seminar aimed at strengthening community resilience against flooding and promoting youth participation in climate action.
The seminar, themed “Strengthening Community Flood Preparedness and Youth-Led Climate Accountability,” is scheduled to hold on June 23, 2026, at the university’s campus in Toru Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns over the increasing frequency and severity of flooding across the Niger Delta region, a situation experts attribute to climate change, environmental degradation, poor drainage systems, rapid urbanisation and deforestation.
According to the organisers, the programme is designed to integrate community-based early warning awareness, participatory climate risk mapping and youth leadership development to improve disaster preparedness and environmental governance in vulnerable communities.
They noted that many flood-prone communities in the Niger Delta still lack access to structured early warning systems, localised climate information and effective platforms for citizen participation in environmental decision-making.
The seminar is expected to equip participants with practical knowledge on flood risk management while empowering young people to take active roles in climate advocacy, environmental monitoring and sustainable development initiatives.
Among its key objectives are improving public understanding of flood early warning signals and safety procedures, strengthening youth capacity in climate advocacy and citizen reporting, and promoting mangrove conservation and restoration as a nature-based solution to coastal flooding and erosion.
Activities lined up for the event include interactive sessions on interpreting meteorological information, seasonal flood forecasts and indigenous warning indicators.
Participants will also receive training on climate justice, digital accountability tools and community-based environmental reporting.
A collaborative planning exercise will further enable participants to develop a post-seminar action plan focused on mangrove nursery establishment, seed collection, restoration activities and environmental monitoring.
The organisers expressed optimism that the programme would result in improved community preparedness for flood emergencies, increased youth engagement in climate governance and the development of a sustainable roadmap for ecosystem restoration across affected communities.
Target beneficiaries include residents of flood-prone communities, youth organisations, women and vulnerable groups, community development associations, civil society organisations and local government stakeholders.
Speaking during a pre-event meeting, the Vice-Chancellor of Hensard University, Sudhakar Kota, emphasised the importance of strengthening collaboration between academia and development organisations to address environmental challenges facing the Niger Delta.
He urged CSDevNet and Hensard University’s academic team, including Zubairul Islam, Ajuruchukwu Obi and Ogechi Cookey, to work together in developing research proposals that could attract support from national and international funding agencies through CSDevNet.
“Hensard University is committed to turning knowledge into practical, community-centred solutions,” Kota said.
“This partnership with CSDevNet and PACJA provides our academics and students with a valuable platform to address the environmental challenges confronting Bayelsa State and the wider Niger Delta region.”
The seminar aligns with ongoing national and international efforts to enhance climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, particularly in coastal communities that remain highly vulnerable to flooding, sea-level rise and other climate-related hazards.
Stakeholders believe the initiative will help bridge the gap between scientific knowledge, community action and policy advocacy in the fight against climate change.
