ABUJA – A traditional leader in Bayelsa, Chief Zion Kientei, has said that decades of oil and gas operations have degraded the environment, reduced agricultural productivity and threatened the livelihoods of host communities.
Kientei, Chairman of the Council of Chiefs of Lasukugbene Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
He said communities initially welcomed oil companies with high expectations but had instead experienced environmental degradation and social disruption.
“Honestly, I will not cease to say it, that the oil industry has not been fair to the Niger Delta as a whole, not just my community because today now, our lifespan is reducing by the day,” he said.
He alleged that fishing and farming, the main occupations of residents, had been severely affected by oil exploration activities.
“Our people cannot fish peacefully anymore. Crude oil vessels pass through our rivers without notice, destroying fishing nets. If this continues, the ecosystem will be damaged beyond recovery,” he said.
The traditional leader also accused some indigenous oil companies of failing to comply with environmental requirements before commencing operations, alleging that they were operating without carrying out Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).
According to him, environmental degradation contributed to declining crop yields and the disappearance of some indigenous plant species once common in the area.
He also alleged that gas flaring had driven away wildlife, reduced fish populations and contributed to rising cases of respiratory illnesses and skin diseases in host communities.
“The continuous gas flaring has driven animals away from our forests. Respiratory diseases and skin rashes are increasing.
“The oil industry has not been fair to the Niger Delta; it has been a punishment rather than a blessing,” he said.
Kientei urged the Federal Government to strengthen oversight of oil and gas operations and ensure regulators independently enforce environmental laws and the Petroleum Industry Act.
