…Send SoS To Relevant Authorities
By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
The unlawful and illegal sand dredging activities all over Delta state, no doubt poses a life-threatening situation and envisages man-made environmental disaster in the nearest future if not properly checked and guided by relevant authorities and agencies of governments.
It was such situation of unlawful dredging activities that trigger residents of 2nd Amekpa of Ekiugbo-Ughelli community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta state, on Saturday, October 28, to protest against the siting of a dredger just few metres away from residential buildings, calling on both the Federal and State Government to come and rescue them from activities that threatens lives and environment in their neighbourhood.
Filled with anger and disapproval in their faces, residents in the area displayed placards with inscriptions such as, ‘Delta State Governor, Come to Our Aid’, ‘Rescue Us from illegal Dredging’ ‘Ughelli North Chairman Come and Rescue us,’ ‘Let The Poor Breath’, the protesters called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state to rescue them from the hand of those the described as the ‘rich’.
Speaking to newsmen, a protester Mrs. Oghenekevwe Magdalene said, “We were surprised to a see a dredger and excavator at the back of our houses on Friday morning in this Close where we have just seven buildings.
“We couldn’t sleep at night because of the dredging activities going on just about 10ft from our homes. The vibration of the excavator was so much that the houses were shaking, but when we try to stop them, the owner of the dredger, (name not mentioned) immediately invited the Ekiugbo community vigilantes to threatened us with guns and mercenary.
“The Ekiugbo vigilantes arrived at the scene, pushed our Mama, an aged woman to the ground for trying to prevent the arrest of his son who also kicked the sitting of the dredger, they however succeeded in arresting Mama son, beat and maimed him and only released him after extorting the sum of N20,000 as bail.
“We are calling on the Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, Commissioner for Environment, and Ughelli North local government chairman to rescue us from the threat and possible destruction of our houses.
“The cassava farm, goat house and kitchen of our Mama here, were destroyed by the excavator that came to prepare a bond wall by the side of her house, and the fence of the compound destroyed,”
On his part, the president general of Ekiugbo community, Comrade Baker Bernard said, “The protest is a good one from my people because this is part of the hazard we are talking about in the society.
“When they came to me over the issue, I went to visit the place and I saw the dredging machine that was about 10 meters away from the buildings and I said no, the dredger can not carry on its dredging activities at the place. The people in the area are not safe and me too, I am not safe.
“The local government chairman and Delta state government are aware of these and when the local government chairman called me, he told me that the Commissioner for Environment, Hon.Ejiro Jamani had visited the scene and ordered that the excavated areas should be refilled immediately.
“As I came, I saw that the excavator has built a bond wall that is so close to the house and if at all he really wants to do his dredging in the place, he must then acquire some of the buildings here and as long i am here, he cannot work there and I will not give him a day to work here.
“I will meet with the driver, to cover the place and peacefully take away his equipment as dredging cannot take place in this place because of it closeness to houses.”
On the allegations against Ekiugbo Vigilantes, Comr. Baker said, ‘I am not aware of any of such extortion made by them and it is illegal if such a thing happened. I will get to the root of this allegations and take them up’. He assured.
It is therefore pertinent for the state government through the ministry of environment to look into the activities of sand dredging in the state. Dry lands have been turned into rivers, and every swamp irrespective of its locations, proximity to residential buildings, has become a sand dredging site (beach) as it is usually regarded . Now that we have not experienced massive environmental disaster, measures needed to be put in place in order to avoid such.
Dredger owners should be guided and licensed before their operations. If possible, all dredging activities should be directed to rivers and known streams and canals that are far from towns and city. If not checked properly, bridges and houses may collapsed someday with lives and properties put under threats.