THE Ecological Action Advocacy Foundation, TEAAF, has called on oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region to give priority to the health of the people of their host communities while exploring and extracting oil from the communities.
The non governmental organization made this call in a town hall meeting with the theme, ‘Analyzing The Health Implications of Extractive Activities in Niger Delta Region’, held at Omavovwe-Agbarha community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The Communication Manager of TEAAF, Foundation, Mr Omozuwa Emmanuel Ugbogbo in his speech said, “We are here to analyze the health implications of extracting activities in the Niger Delta communities and so far from our observation, we have seen that that there are lot of health challenges relating to extractive activities.
“This has significant impact on the life and livelihood of the people, it has affected the way they think, behave and live as humans and they don’t have the needed health facilities that would aid them be healthy in their various communities.
“Some of these health challenges are, eye problems, short and long sightedness issues, blurry sight, cataract and we also observed that bronchitis, cough and different respiratory ailments relating to extractive activities.
“These are challenges that communities around Niger Delta are facing and we are using Omavovwe community as a milestone to reaching out to other communities to ensure that the oil companies do the right thing.
“We are appealing to them to provide the needed health facilities to the communities as they are passing through a lot of health challenges as some of the health centers lack the needed health facilities to meet the needs of the communities.
“With the reaction of the community, it shows that they need help and support from organizations like TEAAF Foundation to be able to amplify and push their voices upfront.”
Also, the Program Director, Ajiroghene Offi said, “The program was about educating the communities, letting them to know the effects of extractive activities in their land and the possible precautions to be taken.
Offi said: “We have always appealed to communities where extractive activities are ongoing like Omavovwe community to speak up and come with their challenges emanating from pollution, environmental pollution, crude oil exploration, oil spill and gas flaring that has great impact on the health of women especially.
“It is sad to note that with our findings, most women are faced with infertility, respiratory ailments and skin cancer because some of them take their produce to the gas flaring site to dehydrate them forgetting the health implications.
“We are encouraging communities where extractive activities are carried out to speak up to ensure that those carrying out these activities would be able to do the right thing in providing healthcare and reducing the harsh effect on them.”
Responding, the vice chairman of Omavovwe community, Mr Daniel Edaferioka commended TEAAF, Foundation for the awareness campaign and the precautions to be taken while extractive activities are going on in their community.
He said, “TEAAF foundation has broadened our knowledge on what to do at the right time when we are faced with challenges of extractive activities by oil companies.”