With so much suffering being faced by communities from gas flaring and pollution in the Gelegele community, oil industry profits gained have blinded companies to the negative impacts.
The issue of gas flaring has been a major source of environmental damage and habitual loss in the Niger Delta region and has adversely affected local populations that are independent on fishing and agriculture as a
major source of their livelihood.
Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in a capacity building
workshop held in Gelegele community in Ovia North-East Local Government
area of Edo state shared ideas on the basics of accountability over
resource exploitation by both government and companies operating in
their community. During the training, resource persons charged community
members to be vigilant to note and report on happenings in their
environment.
Community members enumerated ecological problems and livelihood
challenges they face related to a giant gas flare near their homes. They
lamented over the impact of gas flaring which has led to heat waves,
widespread health problems and has affected fishing which is their
predominant occupation.
An environmentalist Morris Alagoa during the training tasked community
members to identify and work on the problems they faced. According to
him, “After identifying your challenges with gas flaring and oil
exploitation, it is time to take action. Once you agree to act as a
community everyone must ensure to comply and work in the best interest
of the community.
Earlier in his welcome address, Prince Babs Pawuru, of Host Communities Network (HoCoN) expressed gladness over the timely training and urged
the community members to be ready to join in the struggle to end
exploitations that do not yield positive benefits.
