Oil companies neglected Niger Delta after destroying its environment – Rivers Commissioner, Konya

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Oil companies neglected Niger Delta after destroying its environment – Rivers Commissioner, Konya

The Commissioner for Environment in Rivers State, Prof Roseline Konya, on Monday lamented the neglect of the Niger Delta communities by oil companies in the region.

Speaking in Abuja, Konya said the neglect by the oil companies whose activities have desecrated the Niger Delta land, was causing much sufferings.

According to Konya, “The environment in the Niger Delta has been neglected for several decades by oil firms and the much talked about diversification into agriculture will remain a mirage unless the environment is cleaned and restored.


“This is what we are telling them but they do not listen but we are praying that they will listen from now onwards, knowing that some places are already degraded.

“And this is why Rivers has been at the forefront of addressing stakeholders on the need to save our environment and urging them not to cause any problem in the environment because we have had enough.’’

On pipeline vandalism in the region, Konya said efforts were on in educating people of the region to desist from sabotaging and vandalising oil pipelines.

She added, “We are doing our best to tell them that is not the best.


“We recognise that the environment of the Rivers people and Niger Delta as a whole is suffering, so we are intensifying the environmental campaign, especially with the Ogoni Cleanup campaign.

“The pollution level has gone so high that the environment can no longer support fishing and farming. It has eroded the livelihoods of our people who depend on the environment for sustenance.

“We are full of expectations that the cleanup will cause us to start breathing fresh air without pollution in Rivers.’’

This is coming at a time when leaders of the region presented a 16-point agenda to the Federal Government during a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.