The number of mysterious deaths in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State no doubt must have sent fears down the spine of members of the House Representatives as they have unanimously adopted the motion requesting for the investigation of the mysterious disease that has claimed scores of lives in the area.
The motion, listed under matters of urgent Public Importance and titled ‘motion on the urgent need to intervene in the mysterious deaths in Bonny Island in Rivers state’ sponsored by Hon. Doctor Farah Dagogo, Member representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, Rivers State and co-sponsored by the remaining 12 members of the House from the State is among other things seeking for the establishment of a Federal Medical Center in Bonny Island.
The sponsors of the motion had lamented lack of adequate medical facility in Bonny despite its significant contribution to the country’s economy regretting that poor state of government infrastructures worsened the situation as it is difficult to access Port Harcourt, the Capital of Rivers State, or any part of the country for medical help since Bonny is an Island that can only be accessed by boats and ferries.
The motion which described Bonny as the home to the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas, NLNG, and other oil multinational companies including the Royal Dutch Shell, Mobil, Chevron, Agip and ELF hinted that Bonny Island is a major export point for oil and the biggest NLNG plant in Nigeria with six trains which is the mainstay of the Nigerian Gas economy.
Expressing fear, the lawmakers maintained that the the death of 13 persons two weeks after the mysterious and deadly disease may not be unconnected with the unresolved death of fishes in Bonny and other Niger Delta coastal communities.
They resolved that the House do urge the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), to compare notes and brief the House joint committee on the dead fishes incident with the samples, it has already collected from Bonny.
They also prayed the House to urge the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to provide necessary materials to the people of Bonny Island in the interim while appealing to the Federal Government to establish a Federal Medical Centre in the Island to cater for the needs of the residents of the area as well as the companies operating there.
In his ruling however, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Idris Wase, who precided over the matter acceded to two of the prayers, and informed that the request for the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre could only be considered through an act of parliament.
