Oron fishermen bemoan impact of Shell’s Bonga spill

Famous Fishing Organisation (FFO), a fishing group in Oron, Akwa Ibom has described the recent Bonga oil spill as a setback to their occupation and marine environment.
Mr Johnson Harry Chairman of the group said in an interview in Oron on Friday that the oil spill had crippled fishing activities in Akwa Ibom.
Harry dismissed the views canvassed in certain quarters that the oil spill did not affect Akwa Ibom coastline saying that such views were unscientific.
He said that there ample evidence to prove impact on the Atlantic coastline in Akwa Ibom.
He said that the marine environment along the Atlantic coastline in Akwa Ibom was polluted by the spill and compelled members of FFO to suspend fishing.
“The Spill from Bonga oil field is a very big blow to us; the magnitude of the spill compelled us to leave the waters before the regulators instructed fishermen in the Niger Delta Region to stop every fishing related activity.
“Life has become difficult since we have not been earning income and our concern is that the impact of the spill left a lot of deposits along Akwa Ibom coastline which is yet to be cleaned up.
“We urge the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency to prevail on Shell to clean up Akwa Ibom coastline of the traces of crude oil as well as offset the losses incurred by fishermen who were deprived of their income due to the spill,” Harry said.
He commended the Akwa Ibom government for visiting the coastal settlements to asses the plight of the fishermen affected by the oil spill.
He said that the visit of the state commissioner for Environment Mr. Enobong Uwah had restored the hope of fishermen that government was sensitive to their suffering.
Harry appealed to Akwa Ibom government to sustain its effort and compel shell to take responsibility for the damages suffered by Akwa Ibom fishermen in the December 20, 2011 oil spill.
Shell Nigeria Production and Exploration Company (SNEPCO), operator of the bonga field located about 120 kilometres from coastline reported that some 40,000 barrels of crude leaked into the Atlantic Ocean in the spill incident.
A statement from SNEPCO said the oil firm has reportedly completed the clean up of the spill which occurred 120 kilometres off the coastline and restarted production from the Bonga platform in January 2012.