Controversy is trailing the cholera outbreak alarm raised by the people of Ukwu-Nzu community in Aniocha North local government area of Delta State.
While the people are tracing the cause to the activities of the coal mining firm, Mosra Energy, the company has shifted the blame to Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) erosion control in the community some years ago.
Their fear got to the alarming level when the two communities’ rivers, (Odo River and Ojokpa River) got polluted in the neighbouring Ugboba community.
It was further observed that the water is muddy and brownish in colour while the vegetation in the affected rivers has all changed colour from the usual green.
A community leader, Mr Kaikenechukwu Okolie, lamented the situation the community is going through over coal mining activities.
“We have been facing this challenge for over two months, nothing has been done about it. We have been making frantic efforts to reach out to the government to help us. We have reached out to the commissioner for environment and the chairman of Aniocha north LGA of the state.
“We also reached out to the coal mining company, Mosra Energy and they visited the rivers but till now, we have not heard from them for over two months.
“Nobody is against the coal mining in our neighbouring community, we are only concerned about pollution in our rivers. As I speak to you now, our people cannot use the water to process cassava because of the pollution.
“Our people are afraid of using the water because there may be an outbreak of epidemics. So, we are begging the government to come to our aid before people start dying. The river cannot accommodate aquatic activity now, let alone for drinking, we are calling on Governor Sheriff Oborevweri as a matter of urgency to address the situation before people will start dying as a result of cholera and other diseases,” he said.
But the resource manager, Mosra Energy Ltd, Mr Amed Ali, said the coloration of the river is as a result of NEWMAP erosion control in the community years back and not the activities of coal mining.
“Regards to the purported coloration of the rivers, our coal mining process does not generate any waste. When the issue happened, we also took our time to carry out our own independent investigation and discovered that some years back, the NEWMAP erosion control channel drainage to the river was the only way to avoid recurring erosion.
“The red sand was part of the material that was used and they did erosion control to a level and stopped. So, during the rainy season, it moved later to the river and colour the river. It is the laterite that is stocked on the way that is colouring the river, not our mining activities,” he asserted.
When the commissioner for environment, Delta State, Mr Jamani Ejiro, was contacted, he confirmed the situation.
“I got the information about the activities of coal mining. We will visit the site to protect the people, so we will not want somebody to destroy our environment or waterway.
“We will go into action now that we have been reliably informed that there is water pollution in the community so as to save life,” he said.
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