UN Summit: Diri Makes Case For Niger Delta Coastal Communities

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has again taken his campaign against environmental degradation and the impact of climate change on communities in the Niger Delta to the international arena.

The Bayelsa governor yesterday advocated for the imposition of sanctions on polluters of the environment as well as a fund to compensate communities negatively affected by climate change in the region.

Governor Diri, who stated this while delivering a keynote address on the first day of a four-day maiden DeltasUnite Summit of the United Nations Convention on Conserving of River Deltas (UNCCRD) at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand, said there was need for joint action by the international community to protect the world’s Deltas due to climate-induced environmental changes.

He stated that coastal communities in Bayelsa State and elsewhere in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria were increasingly threatened by coastal erosion, oil pollution and environmental degradation.

Diri, who is also chair of the UNCCRD Governance Committee, noted that the time to act was now in order to stem the devastating effects of climate change and the threats to the world’s Deltas.

He said: “Whereas there may be diverse factors affecting the well-being and sustainability of the various Deltas across the world, the commonality of our predicament prescribes a joint action. There is no doubt that river Deltas worldwide are under threat. But for us in the Niger Delta and Bayelsa, in particular, this is a dire matter of life and death. Over a half century of oil exploration has left a legacy of pollution that not only scars our environment, destroying our Deltas, but also rob our people of their dignity and well-being.”

In a statement by his chief press secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Governor Diri lamented that the extent of devastations was either grossly under-reported or ignored, and recalled a major oil spill incident on November 1, 2021 in Bayelsa State.

“The oil well was previously operated by Shell and was acquired by an indigenous oil firm, AITEO. The spillage of crude and associated gas lasted for over 38 days from two points into the creeks and the Santa Barbara River, which serves more than 50 fishing communities in Nembe.

“It took a long time after my intervention and that of the state government before the spill could be controlled. The reason is not far-fetched. As a state government, the laws of our country governing our oil resources are so lopsided that we lack the constitutional requirements to address such oil spill.”

He further stated that in 2018, the state government set up the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission, which conducted a scientific study detailed in its report: “An Environmental Genocide: Counting the Environmental Cost of Oil in Bayelsa State.”

“The report of the commission, which was started by my predecessor and completed by me, lays bare the catastrophic impact of oil and gas exploration on our communities and habitats. The findings are deeply concerning as it states: ‘The rate of child mortality is skyrocketing, and life expectancy is plummeting; 16,000 infant deaths in 2012 and 97% of affected communities facing food insecurity. Additionally, 40% of our precious mangrove forest has been lost due to these spills, pushing us to the very brink of environmental genocide.’”

The Bayelsa helmsman noted that coastal communities in the state on the banks of the Atlantic Ocean were equally facing threats from coastal erosion, ocean surge and salt water encroachment from rising high-sea levels.

He listed some of the communities, including Agge, Orobiri, Bilabiri, Amatu, and Aghoro in Ekeremor local government area.

Others are Ezetu, Foropa, Koluama in Southern Ijaw local government area as well as in Odioama, Okpoama, Akassa, Twon-Brass, Sangana among others in Brass local government area.

“So, we need urgent and collective assistance to dredge our water courses and erect shore protection, to address the climate crises and protect our most vulnerable communities as the very survival of our people now hangs in the balance”, he said.