Oil Pollution: Ogoni Women Call for Genuine Cleanup of Communities

Women in the K-gbara Dere community of Gokana Local Government Area in Rivers State have spoken of the severe impacts of decades of oil pollution on their lives, calling for a thorough and effective cleanup of affected areas. Mrs. Grace Nwindee, an elderly resident, shared her experiences during a community engagement visit by the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI).

She detailed the detrimental effects of oil pollution on women's health, agriculture, water sources and livelihoods. The foul-smelling air, skin irritations and declining crop yields have led to poverty, with women having to travel to neighboring communities to buy food. Nwindee also lamented the failure of contaminated runoff to affect drinking water and kill aquatic life.

She expressed frustration with the current cleanup efforts, alleging that they have not addressed the actual contamination and that contractors have abandoned projects without completing the work. Another resident, Lekia Nsoo from Bunu community, urged authorities to engage experienced environmental experts, ensure proper remediation and subject contractors to effective monitoring and accountability.

This community engagement aligns with RDI's efforts to promote women's participation in environmental advocacy and strengthen gender-sensitive reporting, following their training of female journalists on covering the impacts of extractive activities in Nigeria.