Environmental activist and Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr Nnimmo Bassey, has described Bayelsa as one of the most polluted states in Nigeria, citing decades of oil and gas exploration in the Niger Delta.
Bassey made the statement during a capacity-sharing programme with residents of Nembe Local Government Area. He referenced the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission report, which he said recorded a per-capita oil pollution level of 1.5 barrels of crude oil.
He also cited the United Nations Environment Programme’s environmental assessment of Ogoniland, describing it as evidence of the severe and long-term effects of oil pollution in the Niger Delta. Bassey accused oil companies of failing to adequately remediate some polluted areas and urged them to end practices that further damage the region’s environment.
The environmentalist said oil and gas activities had contributed to deforestation, erosion and the degradation of land and waterways, while describing the Niger Delta as having been treated as a “sacrificial zone” for decades.
Head of Administration of Nembe LGA, Mr Godson Jim-Dorgu, said oil spills had affected fishing and farming, worsening economic hardship among residents. He called for urgent remediation of areas affected by oil exploration and production.
The Director of Primary Health Care in Nembe, Chief Jude Pulemote, also linked oil activities to health and livelihood challenges in rural communities. He called on the Federal and Bayelsa governments to take stronger measures to address the environmental and socio-economic difficulties facing affected communities.
Leave a comment