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Oil Spill, Piracy Crippling Fish Business, Fishermen Count Losses

Published

2 years ago

October 8, 2022

Editor

Fishermen in the coastal community of Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have continued to count losses as the activities of sea pirates, as well as oil spills continue unabated in the area.

They narrated horrific experiences encountered during fishing expeditions, especially with pirates’ attack and hazardous nature of gas flaring.

All these hiccups have culminated in the scarcity of fish and hike in the price of the few available ones.

According to reports, this has made eating fish in Akwa Ibom to be like living at the bank of a river and washing hands with spittle.

Ibeno, one of the coastal oil producing communities in Akwa Ibom State with a sole occupation of fishing, occupies over 1,200 sq. kms of land stretching from Okposo I at the eastern flank, bordering Mbo Local Government Area and Bakassi Peninsula to Atabrikang village on its Western flank.

It is bounded in the South by the Atlantic Ocean and shares a border with Eket, Esit Eket, Onna and Eastern Obolo local government areas.

Ibeno plays host to the Mobil/Exxon QIT terminal where crude oil is processed for export all over the world, though the oil giant has announced plans to sell its assets to Seplat in order to move into deeper waters.

The activities of the multinational company, no doubt, have impacted negatively on the community’s source of livelihood which is fishing and had brought untold hardship to the people which made the community call on them to clean up the mess in the community before divesting.

In a capacity building workshop organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HoMEF at Okoro Utip hall, Ibeno, members of the community took turns to express their pains over the incidences of piracy and oil spills which have greatly affected them.

One of the fishermen, Ukeme Walter lamented that fishes and other aquatic foods are dying due to oil spills, explaining that the few left have moved down to the high sea which is very risky for fishermen.

According to him, “We don’t have good access to our businesses in terms of fishing, gas flaring is disturbing our water a lot. Before now, the fishes were close to our ocean but because of pollution, you now need to move into the high sea, which takes several litres of fuel.

“Sometimes, if you go to the sea, you may not even see the fish and the ones caught when sold would not even cover the expenses you made so far.”

He added that apart from killing fishes in the ocean, oil spills affect their nets and engine boats.

According to him, “the oil in the water spoils our nets which is very expensive and we go on repairing engines. Sometimes, if you cast your net in the water, you will not be able to catch fish due to gas flares in the water.”

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of sea pirates, one Ime Ben revealed that the hoodlums always strike whenever the sea storm rises.

“When the sea storm rises, we divert to where we could land safely; they would come there, attack us and take away all our belongings such as net, boat engine which cost about three million Naira each, they always attack around 2 or 3am when our men go out fishing.

“When we move to water, they go to the boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon; some of them they will collect the engine and the boat, some of them, if they like you, they will carry you and drop you where you can come out; some of them they will ask you to jump inside the sea and you know you cannot swim in such a magnitude of water even though you know how to swim; a lot of people have died,” he said.

Speaking at the workshop, Stephen Oduware, Project Lead for HOMEF regretted that the people in the coastal region, despite their natural resources being exploited to feed the nation have not gotten benefits commensurate with what they have offered.

He urged them to organize themselves to demand their rights from relevant authorities, enumerating the rights to include among others: the right to health, decent occupation and a healthy environment.

Oduware said, “This is a call to the government because these people are among the most under-represented and under-served. So, the government should do more to protect these people and their businesses. They should provide the necessary infrastructure needed by them to make their businesses thrive; they are the ones feeding the nation.

“Information is key, we cannot do everything. We are advocating for a proper structure like a port, where fishermen will have access to freezers, modern drying cans, and a good storage system, among others.”

On her part, Obongawan Emem Okon, the Director of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Center decried the effect of oil spills and gas flaring, particularly in the Niger Delta region, stressing that these have negatively impacted fishermen and their businesses.

Okon said she was no longer advocating for empowerment for women, rather women from the riverine communities should be enlightened enough to ask questions and demand for their rights and entitlement.

She called for legislative backings for such demands.

She added, “women also play a key role in fishery business, therefore, the government should urgently support them.”

News

Shettima Launches NEDC’s School Enrollment Drive Programme

Published

1 hour ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched the Accelerated Senior Secondary School Education Programme (ASSEP) initiated by the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) in collaboration with the office of the VP to enhance child enrollment drive in schools within the North-East sub-region.

Speaking during the launching of the programme in Bauchi on Saturday, the VP said that consequences of the nation’s action and inaction were evident in all indices used to assess development.

He said while primary education provides a foundation, secondary education is a bridge, adding that the Northeast sub-region has been the victim of inability to enforce a uniform policy to drive school and the persistent cultural perversion to formal education in the country.

“We in the Northeast occupy a quantum of position in ranking of essential services. Education being a key sector of this country, this is especially pronounced in the post primary education, while the Northeast secondary school enrollment drive stands at 19 percent, far below the nation’s 39 percent,” he said.

Earlier, the Managing Director of NEDC, Mohammed Alkali, said that the primary education completion level of 85 per cent in the Northeast is among the best in Nigeria, but secondary school enrolment is a mere 15 per cent, the second worst nationally.

According to him, due to the challenges in the post-primary education segment, JAMB UTME applications and admissions into tertiary institutions in 2019 were the lowest for the Northeast compared to other regions.

He added that, nationally, the Northeast has the lowest number of teachers and the highest percentage 55 per cent of those available are without literacy skills.

The MD also revealed that the challenges in the post-primary education segment include weak quality indices and a wide demand-supply gap driven by economic and cultural factors.

“The Accelerated Senior Secondary Education Programme seeks to boost the post primary education rating across the North East region through improved enrolment into tertiary institutions.

“It’s also to improve skills development as well as the elevation of teacher quality. It would pay special focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and communication.

“These would foster creativity and critical thinking; motivates and inspires young people to generate new technologies and ideas to learn from inquiry-based tasks,” he said.

Alkali also explained that the programme would also raise awareness about after-school possibilities and the potential for diligent students to become successful and prominent contributors to the North East region and Nigeria at large.

He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government especially, the Vice President for the deep interest and commitment to human development in the North-East.

News

Edo Police Break Silence On Operatives Fighting Dirty In Viral Video

Published

2 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The Edo State Police Command says a trending video showing two operatives of the command engaging in a fight is a handiwork of mischief makers.

In the video which has gone viral on the internet, two policemen are seen fighting themselves, while a voice commentary in the background claims they are from the Igueben Decisional Police Station headquarters in the state.

A writeup also attached to a version of the video sighted by Info Daily also claims that the policemen were fighting because of sharing formula of money collected from motorists on the highway. The writeup also claims that the incident happened yesterday, May 17th, 2024.

But reacting to the viral video in a statement issued by SP Chidi Nwabuzor, Police Public Relations Officer, the command said contrary to the claim, the incident happened in 2020, adding that disciplinary measures were taken against the erring policemen.

The statement which issued electronically to newsmen in Benin on Saturday evening partly reads: “Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that it’s aware of a video trending on the internet showing two policemen that engaged themselves in a fight in public spaces and wishes to state as follows that;

“The now trending video happened in April 2020 in a community called Ebelle in the Igueben local government area of Edo State.

“The two erring policemen, namely; (i) F/NO.491112 CPL Ozimeade Aidonojie and (ii) F/NO. 516384 PC Salubi Stephen were attached to Ebelle Police Divisional Headquarters.

“They defaulted, tried in an orderly and upon conviction dismissed from the Force for the offence of discreditable conduct contrary to Paragraph ‘E’ Sub Section 111 of the Police Act and Regulations 370 Cap. P19 of Federation of Nigeria 2004.”

Nwabuzor in the statement reiterated the state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, commitment to “making Edo State a desired secured state where the law abiding citizens and the general public go about their lawful businesses in making Edo State economic hubs of Nigeria without fear or intimidation.”

News

Excitement, Dance As ‘Looted Ancestral Stools’ Return To Oba Of Benin

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

It was a moment of joy, excitement and dance at the palace of the Oba of Benin as the revered monarch, Oba Ewuare II took custody of two looted royal stools from the German government.

They were handed over to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, NCMM on behalf of the Nigerian government by the German authorities in 2022.

The Director-General of
National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr Olugbile Holloway made the presentation on behalf of the Federal Government on Saturday May18, 2024 in Oba of Benin Palace, Benin City.

According to history, the artefacts — Bronze and wooden Royal stools (Ekete), made during the reign of Oba Eresoyen and Oba Esigie several Centuries ago, were looted from Oba Palace during the punitive expedition in 1897.

Addressing the Benin Throne during the presentation of the artefacts, Mr Holloway, pledged on behalf of NCMM, to work-hand-in hand with the Benin Royal Court in uplifting and displaying Edo heritage.

He revealed that as the Benin Bronzes and other art works are gradually making their way home (Nigeria), “NCMM will join hands with the Royal Court to create a befitting destination for people around the world to come and appreciate these works”.

“What you see before us were originally taken away from the Royal family in 1897.

“We have a stool made of Bronze and a wooden stool.

“I speak for every member of my team, to say that we remain loyal to the Royal Court. And if there is anything we can do, we will do to support this laudable initiative.

“This heritage is not just Benin heritage, but Nigeria’s heritage.
When we speak of Benin heritage, there is nobody that doesn’t know the great works of ours.

“I appreciate you, we will always do what we can do with our powers to make His Royal Majesty lineage in memory”, he said.

After unveiling the repatriated Artefacts, Oba of Benin, who danced joyfully to Benin traditional rendition in dramatic dance steps, with excited Chiefs and members of the Royal family, offered prayers to Almighty God and his ancestors.

The traditional ruler, who was visibly overwhelmed with joy, appreciated the German government and the Federal Government and the NCMM leadership for their efforts.

The royal father, thereafter, in a historic move, sat in one of the royal stools (Ekete), and personally presented a chunk of white, which, according to belief, symbolizes peace and blessings to the Director-General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr Olugbile Holloway.

Oba Ewuare II also prayed for Mr Holloway and his team, accompanied by the Curator, National Museum, Benin, Mr Mark Olaitan, Director, Legal Services, NCMM, Barrister Babatunde Adebiyi on the visit where Royal Drummers gave a good account of their stewardship.