Some fishermen in a community Rivers State have alleged that the Port Harcourt refining company and Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Ltd are responsible for injecting toxic wastes in Okrika River.
They also alleged that the activities of the company had contributed to polluted River which had contaminated fishes in the river.
The fishermen under the auspices of FishNet Alliance in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State raised the alarm at a recent Community Diagnostic Dialogues organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation in Port Harcourt.
The fishermen particularly accused the Port Harcourt Refining Company and the Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Ltd of channelling their industrial wastes into the waterways.
Chief Fyneface Daka Anthony Agokabo, member of FishNet Alliance in Okrika, said that the presence of the oil companies around Okrika has brought nothing but pains and sorrow, due to negative impacts of the industries on aquatic lives.
Agokabo, said that even the fishes caught from the river are polluted, since the water itself was highly polluted from chemical and toxic wastes discharged by Port Harcourt refinery and Indorama petrochemicals.
He explained that although Okrika was not playing host to Indorama, however, since that the river is interconnected, hence whatever affects the creeks of Eleme runs down to the Okrika River.
“We are predominantly fishermen. We are all suffering from pollution arising from gas flaring. If you wash your clothes and spray outside, flames and soot will cover it over in few hours. Even the water is polluted, meaning that even the fishes we eat are polluted too.
“The refinery washes their wastes into the water and the smell is usually very strong. Even Indorama too, once they release these toxic wastes into the river, all the fishes in the river will die, while the smart fishes will move far away deep into the ocean. It will take us three waters (45days) before fingerlings will start finding their way into the river.”
Also, delegates from Ibeno Community in Akwa Ibom State and Joinkrama, a cluster of four communities, in Rivers State noted their interest to sue Exxonmobil and Shell for environmental degradation.
One of the delegate from Ibeno who is the Chief Specialist Effanga of Ibeno community said “We will go back to form a formidable force with our people and also connect with the Joinkrama people to approach the highest court of the land and demand justice.
“We will toe the path of non-violence and will dialogue with them till they accept their wrong and begin to put in place measures to ensure that our land is completely clean, and our livelihoods are restored.”
