By: Felix Ikpotor
As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark this year’s world water day, a traditional ruler from the Ogoni extraction in Rivers State, Mene Magnus Edooh has lamented that there is nothing for people of the area to celebrate as they are still drinking polluted water several years after the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, report indicated that the underground waters in the area was contaminated with benzene.
He said that there is no portable water in the entire Ogoni communities since federal government started oil exploration in the area and contaminated all fresh water bodies.
“When the federal government discovered oil on our land and started drilling and mining our natural resources, we became a community with polluted water, a man-made gift. Over the years our forebears fought with their lives for complete restoration of our land and for the people to be compensated.
UNEP report laid much emphasis on the provision of drinking water to all exploitation impacted communities in Ogoni land.
As a custodian to Yorla oilfield in OML 11, the Kwawa community is one of the most impacted communities but up till this hour, there is still no provision of portable drinking water. I therefore do not see any need for us to celebrate today’s water day,” he said.
He noted that he had in collaboration with some indigenes of the community rehabilitated some water facilities in his community and further used the occasion to commend the President-General of Ogoni Youth Federation, Legborsi Yamaabana for providing portable drinking water for his community.
The traditional ruler also charged the new Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, Dr Ferdinand Giadom to ensure the provision of portable water in Ogoni communities as enshrined in the report.
The theme of this year’s celebration is: “Ground Water: Making the Invisible Visible”.
