Marine Ecosystem Contamination Hits Ogoniland

Super Eagles’ Goal Keeper, Enyeama, trying to save the ball from entering the net, during the match with Argentina, yesterday

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has reported a widespread contamination of the Marine Ecosystem of coastal communities in Gokana in Ogoni of Rivers State during the reconnaissance phase of the environmental assessment of Ogoniland project.

According to the UNEP’s expert team assessment, a unique trend of oil impacted sites were discovered in the coastal communities of Gokana.

According to UNEP Communication Advisor, Mr Jimmy Okoroh, this was discovered through the use of a combination of visual observation, usage of satellite imagery, geographical information system (GIS) and aerial surveillance.

The discovery was as a result of a joint investigation team lead by UNEP project cordinator, Mr Mike Lowing and the chairman of Gokana Local Government Area, Rivers State, Hon. Victor Giadom to the affected contaminated coastal areas of Bodo, Kpor, K-Dere, B-Dere and Bomu communities, where the UNEP Experts witnessed a high level of contamination particularly of vegetation, and mangroves.

The UNEP’s team clearly expressed the view that oil contamination has significant repercussions on the people of Ogoni especially on human health, security, means of their livelihood and economic activity now that fishing is the main economic occupation of the Gokana people.

UNEP witnessed that the oil contamination of the coastal communities of Gokana arose from the on-going illegal bunkering activities in the affected areas, which they saw first hand.

The United Nations Environment Programme further reiterated that it is critical for the government to address the root causes of these illegal bunkering activities in Gokana as such, activities have severe negative implication for the environmental assessment of Ogoniland project.

The UNEP Expert Team cautioned that if the on-going illegal bunkering activities in Gokana coastal communities are left unchecked by the appropriate authorities and stakeholders, it would render the UNEP environmental assessment of Ogoniland unsustainable through the body not capturing the full extent and magnitude of the oil impacted sites in oil bearing communities of Gokana.

Meanwhile, the chairman of Gokana Local Government Council, Hon. Victor Giadom, has acknowledged the massive extent of the contamination in the affected coastal communities of the Local Government Area as a result of the on-going widespread illegal bunkering activities within the affective communities.

The council chairman, stressed that it would require state and federal government level recourses to address this issue that posed great challenges to sustainable environment and meaningful development at the local and regional level.