Youths from Gokana Local Government of Rivers State defied the rains on Thursday to rally against oil re-pollution in their communities.
The rally organized by a non-governmental organization in the forefront of campaigns for a clean environment in the Niger Delta, Center for Environment Human Rights and Development, CEHRD, kicked off from Barako to Biera, Terado -Bera- Mogho and terminated at Kpor, the local government headquarters.
The Youths made up mainly of ex-artisanal oil miners and a few women who joined as the train progressed, distributed fliers as they moved accompanied by a music band, calling for an end to artisanal oil operations which have further destroyed the land so that the ongoing clean up by HYPREP in the area can help heal the land.
The fliers were distributed in homes, shops, to passers-by and market people with calls for all to embrace an end to the menace of pollution and revolution.
Some of the placards displayed by the youths read, “Stop Oil Re-pollution. Let the environment heal,” “Oil re-pollution endangers our reclaimed environment”.
At the council headquarters, the youths were received by the chiefs who commended HYPREP and CEHRD’s unrelenting effort in the campaign against artisanal refining of oil.
Spokesperson of the chiefs, Mene Sunday Baribuane Fredrick, announced that since the campaign was launched in the community four years ago, illegal oil activities have ceased.
He said the people were committed to ending illegal oil refining and full restoration of the Ogoni environment.
Said he, “We are Gokana people, we love ourselves, we love our community especially, the coastal aspect of Gokana Kingdom.
“Today, as God may have it done, we are working in synergy to make our environment clean. Over four years ago, the artisanal refinery was automatically stopped in Gokana. No Gokana person is still into that business again.
“We are no longer doing it. We follow the federal government as well as the state and local government and make sure that the Kpofire stopped automatically”.
“Therefore, we have formed the habit that here in Gokana Local Government, nothing of that nature is existing,” the chief assured.
Chairperson of CEHRD, Chief Constance Meju who spoke after the programme lead, Dr Tammy Cookey told the chiefs they were there to create further awareness to stop re-pollution of the already fragile environment, thanked the chiefs for receiving the team and the youth for the vigour displayed in the campaign to end destruction of the land.
She stated that a healthy environment would serve all better noting, that Shell and other oil operators have caused heavy damage to the environment which should not be further continued.
The CEHRD Chairperson recalled that in the past Ogoni land was a food basket rich with long healthy yam and cassava tubers which can only return if all illegal oil activities are discontinued and the clean up being organized by HYPREP is given space to succeed.
She noted the challenges of alternative livelihood expressed hope the federal government is working to effectively address that to encourage the youth.
The same exercise has been carried out in Ekarama in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
