Bayelsa Governor Delivers Damning Report On Oil Pollution To Tinubu, Pleads For Intervention

By Eunice Nnachi in Yenagoa*

ABUJA, NIGERIA – Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, accompanied by a delegation of political and traditional leaders, presented a scathing report on the devastating effects of oil pollution in Bayelsa to President Bola Tinubu during a visit to the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.

The report, titled “An Environmental Genocide: Counting the Human and Environmental Cost of Oil in Bayelsa, Nigeria,” was compiled by the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission (BSOEC) chaired by former Archbishop of York, Rt. Rev (Dr.) John Sentamu.

Governor Diri, highlighting the grim realities facing his state, described the situation as an “environmental genocide.”

The report, first unveiled at the House of Lords, London, in May 2023 and later in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on October 28, 2024,  details the widespread ecological devastation and severe health consequences for Bayelsa residents, directly linked to the activities of oil companies operating in the state.

“Economic activities of our people have been grounded, and till date, you still have oil pollution all over the state,” stated Governor Diri.

“The oil companies extracting crude from the state are liable for various diseases and sicknesses as most of their facilities keep failing because they have become obsolete.

“As I speak with you, issues about cancer are now almost a normal thing in Bayelsa State. We have a report that has traced it to the activities of the oil companies and oil exploration that had resulted in very bizarre types of sicknesses that were not hitherto known to the people of Bayelsa State.”

The Governor emphasized the need for immediate intervention from the Federal Government, arguing that despite Bayelsa’s pivotal role in making Nigeria an oil producing nation, the state has been shortchanged by both the government and oil companies.

He specifically cited the issue of personal income tax for oil workers in the state, arguing that Bayelsa receives inadequate revenue despite being the birthplace of Nigeria’s oil industry.

The delegation, which included leaders of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), also expressed gratitude to the President for appointing a Bayelsa native, Dame Didi Walson-Jack, as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, alongside other Bayelsa indigenes appointed to various positions in the government.

Beyond the environmental crisis, Governor Diri also appealed to President Tinubu to address the neglected state of the East-West road, a vital infrastructure project crucial for Bayelsa’s development.

He further requested support for the completion of ongoing state projects, including the Nembe-Brass and Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie road projects, as well as an invitation for the President to inaugurate the completed Sagbama-Ekeremor road and perform the flag-off of the Ekeremor-Agge road, projects essential for boosting the country’s blue economy.

Governor Diri concluded by emphasising the need for the BSOEC report to be implemented, believing it holds the key to addressing the ongoing issues facing Bayelsa and ensuring a more equitable and just future for the state and its people.