By: Felix Ikpotor
A non-governmental organization, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, has trained fishermen in Wakrike axis of Rivers State on how to monitor their environment to check for pollution and other environmental dangers.
The trainning which was held at Koniju-Ama in Okrika local government area of Rivers State had fishermen and women from 11 communities drawn from Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas in attendance.
The trainning according to HOMEF is aimed at sensitizing fishermen in the communities and other locals on the need to monitor and promptly report cases of environmental degradation in their environment.
The organisation also said the training became necessary following the environmental pollution occasioned by oil exploration activities which ravages the area.
Stephen Oduware, Lead, Fossil Politics Desk of HOMEF while speaking at the trainning noted that if nothing is done to safeguard the environment, the communities could go extinct.
“We know that the community is sandwiched on one hand by the impacts of climate change, coastal erosion and others and on the other hand by the impact of oil spills in the community; that alone is a huge challenge and the root to recovery is actually problematic because everyday things are getting more difficult because the communities are not being heard inspite of the impacts that they are facing.
“So we have come here to strengthen ourselves to tell them that we are with them to ensure that their right is preserved, protected and that they have a right to healthy and pollution-free environment.
“We have also agreed that it is possible that our communities can become mere geographical expressions without the people there so monitoring is very important because if we don’t monitor, we give room for all the anomalies to continue,” he added
Oduware, emphasized on the need for the communities to advocate for what they want through their reports saying, “It’s also very important what we do with the reports. It’s not only about monitoring, we have to learn to report and advocate for what we want as community people because community people deserve all the best that they can be”.
A facilitator at the event, Kentebe Ebiaridor charged the communities to be united and work in solidarity to achieve their aim of attaining environmental justice.
Ebiaridor, who also is the Programme Manager, Environmental Rights Action-Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Port Harcourt Office, while emphasing the importance of oneness amongst communities, urged them to downplay classification and speak with one voice against environmental degradation.
“The most important thing is how communities can leverage on solidarity to achieve things for themselves and their environment.
“They should keep being together as one, they should forget all issues around culture, social inclusiveness or exclusiveness, economic barriers, gender, religion and be together to speak with one voice at all time,” he said.
Meanwhile, participants at the trainning have hailed HOMEF for giving them the opportunity to benefit from the sensitization.
They also lamented the impact of pollution and environmental degradation on their source of livelihoods.
Gbakaye Tamunosiki Donald, said they have lost a lot of the their fishing settlements because of environmental challenges.
“We have suffered greatly from pollution. Because of environmental challenges, we have lost a lot of our fishing settlements but with this sensitization we are taking it home.
“We are also facing the challenge of flooding. Alot of houses around here are flooded due to climate change,” he said.
On her part, Mrs Taribo Lawrence, an octogenarian fisherwoman said they can no longer harvest fishes from their rivers as oil pollution has driven them away.
“There is no fishes in the river, we are struggling, even crayfish we can’t get anymore, even when we go deep into the mangroves it’s still difficult to get fishes.
*We can’t even pay our children’s school fees because of hardship. There is too much oil in the river and it’s giving us a great challenge,” she lamented.
She also called on the government to look into the issue of sea pirates and equally provide them with fishing gears and other incentives to make their trade profitable.
