By Awyetu Asabe Hope
Residents of the Nembe-Okiori communities in Bayelsa State have raised concerns over the impact of oil pollution on aquatic resources, saying years of environmental contamination have led to a sharp decline in fish and seafood populations.
Speaking during a leadership training programme in Yenagoa, on Thursday, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Nembe-Okiori Host Communities Development Trust, Isaiah Youngdede, said pollution from oil exploration activities has damaged rivers, creeks and mangrove ecosystems, reducing the availability of species such as bonga fish, lobsters and periwinkles.
According to him, the degradation of mangrove forests, which serve as breeding grounds for aquatic life, has disrupted fish reproduction and migration patterns, leading to dwindling catches and worsening economic hardship for fishing-dependent households.
Youngdede noted that the eight communities hosting the Nembe-Okiori oilfield are already vulnerable to flooding and coastal erosion, adding that recurring pollution incidents have further undermined livelihoods and environmental sustainability.
He also described the three per cent Host Community Development Fund under the Petroleum Industry Act as inadequate to address the environmental and developmental challenges facing host communities.
The community leader called for greater support from development partners, donor agencies and environmental organisations to fund ecosystem restoration, shoreline protection, livelihood programmes and climate resilience initiatives in the area.
Participants at the training programme stressed the need for stronger collaboration among communities, government agencies and oil companies to tackle environmental degradation and promote sustainable development in the Niger Delta.
