Community Seeks FG, Delta’s Intervention over Degradation, Pollution

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The leadership of Polobubo-Tsekelewu community in Warri North Local Government area of Delta State has urged the federal and Delta State Governments to come to their aid over degradation and pollution of their environment by the operations of the multinational oil companies.

They therefore sought for urgent remediation measures to solve the problems of pollution and degradation of their environment by oil companies operating in their community lamenting they were facing a lot of challenges resulting from the menace.

President General of Polobubo-Tsekelewu, Dr. Bright Abulu, an Environmental Activist, Mrs. Ibiba Don Pedro and Mr. Henry Eferubo, made the appeal yesterday, while speaking on the plight of the people of the community ravaged by various communicable diseases and those displaced from their homes.

Abulu, recalled that during June 5th World Environment Day, which the community participated actively, similar calls were made but up till now response was gotten from the relevant stakeholders over their plight.

He, therefore, pleaded again with relevant stakeholders for a collaborative effort in solving the problem of waste pollution and environmental degradation in the community.

The Chairman, Environment and Health Committee in the community, Anthony Kilete Tiemo and Secretary, Mr. Isene Clarkson, also urged the governments at the federal and state levels, as well as oil majors to pay urgent attention

to the issues of pollution in Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community to prevent health disaster in the area within the shortest possible time.

They explained that the ‘save our soul cry’ to the relevant authorities became paramount and imperative because plastic pollution had become one of the most pressing environmental issues in the community noting that rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world’s ability to deal with them.

While noting that plastic pollution was most visible in riverine areas in developing Asian and African nations, where garbage collection systems are often inefficient or nonexistent, they lamented that, “in Delta State, Polobubo (Tsekelewu ) community is one of the most affected Community where plastic pollution ravaged due to the activities of multinational oil  companies operating in the area without  taking any responsibility to carry out remediation  activities to restore the corrosive environment that was once a green lurch before their coming for exploration activities.

The Agadagba of Egbema Kingdom, HRM E. A. Ubabiri, Bini Pere 1V, stressed that there was a fundamental need for the stakeholders to take a pragmatic approach to the problems of pollution in Egbema Kingdom, noting that the associated problems of pollution are already bringing hardship to the people of the kingdom.

The monarch, while emphasising the urgent need for the federal and state governments as well the multi-national oil companies operating in their vicinity, to help them solve the protracted massive problem of pollution and environmental degradation in their communities, urged residents to live peacefully with oil Company Personnel and protect oil facilities in their kingdom.