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By Josiah Egbilika
Oil re-pollution has become a menace in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This has increased the disastrous effects already incurred by the communities during the oil pollution era in Niger Delta.
Unfortunately, when there is further oil spill, communities and the International Organization Corporations (IOCs) are at loggerheads pointing fingers with little or nothing done to avert the effects on the environment.
In a bid to bridge this gap, the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), with support from True Costs Initiative, is embarking on a Project titled: ‘Mitigating Oil Re-pollution In Niger Delta,’ to create awareness on the effect of re-pollution on the environment and life in Niger Delta.
The pilot project is implemented in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State and Ogbia and Yenegoa local government areas in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Training of Ex-Artisanal Refiners and Community Members
In this regard, CEHRD has trained one hundred and eighty ex-artisanal refiners, community members including women and traditional leaders on “Mitigating Oil Re-pollution” in Rivers and Bayelsa States.
The training was aimed at educating the participants on the need to desist from re-polluting the environment and also be able to advocate if there are further oil spills from other sources which are not sabotage.
The trained one hundred and eighty ex-artisanal refiners, community members across Rivers and Bayelsa States gained knowledge on what oil re-pollution is, The Causes and Sources of Oil Re-pollution, Environmental and Health Impact of Oil Re-pollution and Social Cultural and Economic Impact of Oil Re-pollution.
They also gained knowledge on the Roles Community Members should play in Advocating Towards Oil Re-pollution, Tools and Strategies for Community Sensitization and The Need for Alternative Livelihoods.
Speaking during the training session in Rivers State, the director of Timmy Global Health, USA, Professor Scott Pegg advised the participants to be part of the solution and not the problem. He revealed that he has been in Nigeria before the events of oil spill in Ogoni and understands the pain of the people.
Professor Pegg who also serves as the Supervisor of True Costs Initiative in the CEHRD’s project advised that, it is necessary for the land to be restored noting that if the environments are not restored, the people will not get out of poverty, have better life and life’s facilities.
In his lecture, the coordinator of Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Dr. Nubari Nabie recounted the effect oil re-pollution can result in the health of the people. He stated that such re-pollution can lead to cancer and even death noting that when the environment is polluted, heavy elements not seen with the eyes go down into the water bodies and affect the crops which are later harvested and consumed thereby causing harm to human body.
Stakeholders from Rivers State Ministry of Environment, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Stakeholders Democratic Network (SDN), Society for Women and Youths Initiative (SWAYA) in their goodwill messages appreciated CEHRD for embarking in such laborious project noting that project as this will help to speed up the clean up process on going in Ogoni and also give a road map to the entire Niger Delta.
Meanwhile, while training the ex-artisanal refiners and community members in Bayelsa, the project manager, Dr. Tammy Cookey revealed that there are several sources of oil re-pollution such as sabotage, rusty pipelines, leakages, oil theft. He noted that there is need for community members to speak out and not fold their hands when there are further oil spills stating that they are the ones to bear the grunts of the effects re-pollution will cause to the environment.
On their part, the participants across Rivers and Bayelsa State expressed gratitude to CEHRD and True Costs Initiative committing to further enhance the message to other members of their communities.
Awareness Creation on Mitigating Oil Re-Pollution
To ensure the message gets to the grassroots, CEHRD also conducted three rallies across Gokana Local Government Area in Rivers State, Ogbia and Yenegoa Local Government Areas in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The rallies were to sensitize community members on the negative effects of oil re-pollution and the need to speak out when noticed.
In an interview on the sidelines of the rally in Imiringhi Community, Yenegoa Local Government, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, the community’s Youth Leader, Mr. Ranami Afagha who commended CEHRD for working with the locals stated that the match was to discourage the destruction of oil installations and also to speak against all forms of oil re-pollution in the local government area.
Afagha said some of the effects of oil re-pollution revealed that it affects the life of the people, economy, environment, biodiversity and so any effort to fight against oil re-pollution is a welcome idea. While expressing joy, the youth leader appreciated True Costs Initiative for sponsoring CEHRD to carry out the fight against oil re-pollution.
At Ikarama community, Yenegoa LGA, Bayelsa State, CEHRD paid a courtesy visit to the Paramount Ruler of Ikarama.
Addressing CEHRD’s team, His Royal Highness Berebozigha stated that the efforts of CEHRD and other civil society organizations have been fruitful as there is noticeable decrease in re-pollution in the community noting that pathetically, Ikarama community is one of the communities with the highest number of oil pollution, with no help coming their way.
The paramount ruler of the federated Ikarama communities stated that the communities are in need of health facilities as their health status and the life expectancy of the people in the communities are decreasing on daily basis.
He debunked the assertion that the multiple oil pollutions happening in the community are sabotages while revealing that some are from rusted pipelines, while some other sources cannot be traced as it flows in the community river to other communities, destroying their water bodies and environment.
Commitment from Communities
From Ogbia Local Government Area to Yenegoa in Bayelsa State and to Gokana LGA in Rivers State, the message was one.
The traditional rulers, ex-artisanal refiners, women, youths, Civil Society Organizations, and the Government committed to mitigate oil re-pollution in Niger Delta. Their voices chorused same messages: ‘Say No To Oil Re-Pollution! Stop Oil Re-Pollution!!’
