Fed. Lawmaker Spotlights Implications Of Dead Fishes On N/D Residents, Aquatic Life
The member representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Doctor Farah Dagogo has decried the negative effects of Dead Fishes on the residents of the Niger Delta coastline as well as the acquatic life in the area.
Hon. Dagogo disclosed this through a press release on the death of fishes along the Niger Delta coast line,” describing the incident as ‘collosal’.
He also warned those saddled with unravelling the circumstances leading to death of the fishes along the Niger Delta coastline to do a thorough job devoid of cover- up bearing in mind the consequences of the incident on the socio-economic lives of both the citizens and affected states of the Niger Delta.
He disclosed that the incident may not be unconnected with the toxicity of the Atlantic Ocean caused by the activities of major oil and gas companies operating in those areas.
“My attention, as the Representative of Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from Rivers State, has been drawn to the catastrophic death of fishes around the Niger Delta Coast line by my constituents and other persons from neighbouring Niger Delta States. I use this medium to state inter allia, that:
” The death of the fishes in our coastal waterways is colossal and has severe implications on the socio-economic development of our people in particular and the States of Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Delta in general. Their death may be as a consequence of pollution caused by the oil and gas companies operating in the region or other associated factors as noted by some environmentalists, or likely as a result of increasing toxicity of the Atlantic ocean, which the primary investigation I conducted indicate. And it can also be all of the aforementioned.
“In view of the calamitous consequences this strange incident portends, especially on the socio – economic lives of both the citizens and the affected Niger Delta States, I urge my Constituents to be law abiding and continue to maintain peace in order to allow for meaningfully engagements with the State Institutions and the Oil and Gas Companies, whose activities directly impact on the coastline.
“Towards achieving the above, therefore, I call for the Inter-Institutional Investigation of the matter, with empirical studies to ascertain the causes of the hydrophobic incident and possible options for putting it at bay. Consequently, I am closely monitoring the current actions being taken by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and urge the Agency to be unwavering in its attempt to unravel the truth and present a result that would be accepted within the global community, as no cover- up in whatever disguise would be tolerated.
“Further to the fore-going, we urge the Federal Government to transparently audit the matter, and if anybody, corporate, or otherwise is found wanting, such a body be sanctioned in line with Nigerian and International Laws.
“In the event that urgent actions are not taken to address this ugly imbroglio, I have been in serious discussions with my fellow members, from the Niger Delta region and other zones, on the best approach to apply all legislative means to ensure that our Constituents do not suffer epidemic and further financial loss as a result of this development, “he added.
Some of the Niger Delta states affected are Akwa- Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers.
