The Bonny Environmental Consultants Committee (BECC) says it is worried that months after the dead fish debacle and gas leak incident, among others, no action has been taken to investigate and remediate the Bonny environment.

The body came out with this position as questions continue to arise as to the lull in any action regarding the environmental challenges being witnessed in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The body, which handles all environmental related issues in Bonny Kingdom, in a letter to the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC) signed by its Chairman, Professor Sodienye Abere, called for action on the outstanding issues.

Prof Abere told Kristina Reports that the letter became imperative given the need to remind the traditional institution of the urgency of an independent environmental audit of the Bonny environs, which he said were outlined in BECC’s previous letters to the royal fathers.

Regarding the dead fish and alleged gas leak incidents said to have been caused by the shutdown of the Nigeria LNG plant on May 14, 2020, among others, BECC informed the Bonny Chiefs that experts were engaged to carry out the environmental audit of the community and the cost of keeping them waiting was rising.

BECC further drew the attention of the Chiefs to the fact that the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) were already collecting samples around the community with no recourse to the leadership of the Kingdom.

The body warned that whatever were the findings of both agencies would be taken by the Federal Government as conclusive if there is no independent report from the community.

The letter, which was addressed to the Chairman of the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC), Chief Dagogo Wilcox, is reproduced below:

“SLOW OR RATHER NON-ACTIONING OF BECC RECOMMENDATIONS ON URGENT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

The happenings since March 2020 necessitated our intensive reactions and responses that led to the many suggestions we have put forward to you directly and indirectly. So sorry to observe that none has been treated with the urgency that they deserve. This is not good for our disposition because it is taken for inertness.

The issue of the dead fish is a case in point. The issue was escalated to NIMASA, NOSDRA and the State Government which have all responded except the Bonny people, the immediate sufferers. We went ahead and assembled experts to look into the problems, put them on notice, got them to make financial input and we are still keeping them on standby to date.

The TCA floated a fact-finding committee and requested our input which I gave both in virtual meeting and in writing. At least, it is debating the costs but BCC/BECC has not advanced any way forward, which makes this job very frustrating.   

Now NOSDRA is in Bonny taking data and whatever they come up with, the Federal Government will uphold since we do not have anything of ours to show.

A stitch in time saves nine other stitches. We should not be held responsible for however the Bonny people are treated. I just hope that we can still swing into action and redeem our environment. Thank you.”

Recall that the Bonny Council of Chiefs (BCC) had, on May 29, 2020, stated, in a letter signed by its Chairman, Chief Dagogo Wilcox, that it was going to carry out an independent investigation into the shutdown of the Nigeria LNG plant in Bonny ascertain the extent of environmental impact the incident had on the community.

Strangely, two months and two weeks later, no action has been taken in that respect.

Also, Chairman of Bonny LGA, David Irimagha had, on April 18, 2020, inaugurated a fact-finding committee headed by a seasoned environmentalist, Amairigha Hart to probe into the immediate and remote causes of the dead fish incident along the Atlantic shoreline in Bonny LGA and make recommendations towards resolving the issue.

Today makes three months, three weeks and six days since the inauguration of that committee without any action on the part of the committee.

Residents of the area are worried that no action has been taken on the issues with the environmental challenges in the area being compounded especially with the rains that have exacerbated the incidence of flooding around the community.

An insider source within the Bonny Local Government, who preferred anonymity, however, expressed the hope that positive action would soon be taken to address the issue, assuring that the LG Chairman was not resting on his oars on the matter.   

Kristina Reports was yet to get responses to its enquiries sent to both the Chairman of the Bonny Chiefs Council, Chief Dagogo Wilcox, and the Chairman of the fish kill committee, Amairigha Hart on the issues under review at the time of this report.