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From Joseph Obukata, Warri
Indigenes of Ogulagha community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State have lamented that incessant cases of oil spillages and dump of waste products by multi-national oil companies have hindered their source of livelihood over the years.
The indigenes expressed this concern at the 2022 World Ocean Day celebration marked by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) at the coastal community on Wednesday.
Speaking at the event, Blessing Akassawei, a fishman laments the despoilation of the water bodies by activities of oil firms, saying that before they used to have different species of fishes in the Ocean but many of the fishes have gone into extinction.
In the same vein, Clement Gbamokumor said, ‘Before now, once you go into the river bank, you will see fighes flowing in the river but what you will see when you go to the river is oil floating. You will see waste dump and crude oil floating. We are dying here, our means of survival is being threatened every day. You people should help us to tell the multi-nationals to stop polluting our rivers, It is really disheartening, he laments.
Addressing newsmen, chairman of Ogulagha community, Comrade John Bebapere, appreciated the NGO for bringing the programme to their domain.
He said that Ogulagha, which used to be the fishing hub of foreign nationals, is dying. He said that foreign nationals like the Ghanians are the only ones bracing the odds to go far into the Atlantic Ocean to get bigger fishes because of activities of sea pirates.
He said that besides oil spills, dumping of waste products in the water bodies, activities of sea pirates have been a major challenge to their fishing expedition.
“The Ghanians are the ones that go far miles to get Bonga fish. Our challenges are mainly from oil exploration activities, erosion is also affecting us. Ocean surge is a big challenge.
“We hope that this programme would escalate our plight to the Federal Government to come to our aid. We need the federal government, state government and NDDC to help us out. Because of our peculiar terrain, we hardly see the rest of the world so we are using this opportunity to call for assistance by any means possible.
A former vice chairman of the community, Don Tony Temewei, said that they started facing challenges of Ocean surge and erosion when they were moved from the Island by the multi-nationals to the present location.
HOMEF’s Project Lead, Fossil Politics and Climate Change, Mr. Cadmus Atake-Enade, said that the foundation was marking the Ocean Day in Ogulagha to understudy the impact of the extractive activities on the livelihood of the locals and come out with a policy document for the government.
“We decided to mark the Ocean Day here being a coastal community because we believe it will be significant for the people. The fisherforks have been impacted with a lot of environmental factors and degradation arising from extractive activities from natural causes, from climate change so it is paramount for us to actually be here to mark this day with them and amplify their voices and struggles as fisherfolks”, he added.
Media/Communication Lead, Kome Odhomor, said it is necessary for sober reflections on the state of the oceans, seas, rivers, and creeks.
In a statement tagged: ‘Real Actions for Ocean and Our Wellbeing ’, she said, “It is particularly important that individuals and local communities who have lived in harmony with these water bodies be recognized, supported, and learned from.
“Today we mark World Oceans Day from the banks of the river at Ogulagha community, Delta State, Nigeria. It is a day for dialogue with fishers and community people whose connection with the ocean, rivers, and creeks around them goes beyond livelihoods, it is their life.
World Oceans Day is an annual celebration honouring the majesty of Earth’s oceans and the economic, aesthetic, and environmental services they provide. World Oceans Day is celebrated yearly on June 8 to raise awareness of the plight of the oceans and the marine ecosystems they contain.
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