The damage caused by oil pollution in some communities in Bayelsa state has been described as “environmental genocide”.
The Archbishop of York and Chairman of the Bayelsa State Oil And Environmental Commission embarked on an inspection tour of some impacted communities in Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa Local Government Areas Of Bayelsa State.
Ovieteme George reports that dying vegetation dot the landscape along the rivers of Babaragbene, Oyeregbene, Mbirika and Lasukugbene – the effect of years of oil spills on these communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
It was easy to bond with the natives who already knew the mission of the commission. While it was laughter for the children, the elders were not smiling at all.
The Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission also visited Ikarama and Egbebiri communities of Yenagoa Local Government Area.
Again it is a similar narrative from the locals. The commission restates its mandate to the people of the oil – impacted communities.
Bayelsa, like other states of the Niger Delta has a history of oil pollution, with rivers and farmlands greatly affected while the natives
live with diseases, predominantly cancer.
