November 6, 2024

TNN Newspaper

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Help! We’re Dying Of Hunger –Rivers Fisherman

3 min read

 

A fisherman from the Bakana community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, Elder Dima A. Iyalla, has continued to lament over the high level of impoverishment occasioned by the activities of illegal bunkering, known as ‘Kpofire’ on their source of livelihood.

While the Nyesom Ezenwo Wike’s government appears to have won the war against ‘Kpofire’ in the state, some residents, mostly those from the riverine area, are yet to recover from its effect, following the hardship it has brought on them.

Groaning over the effect of illegally refined petroleum products in Bakana area of the state, Iyalla, who is popularly known as ‘commander no dulling’ lamented that crude oil from bunkering site, washed into the river has destroyed their aquatic life.

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The fisherman and father of five who is in his 70s, told TNN in an exclusive interview that life had become unbearable for those of them who depended on catching and selling sea animal for their livelihood.

According to him, fishing has become uninteresting, following their recent ugly experience of toiling all day, catching very little or nothing at all.

Expressing his dismay in pidgin language, Iyalla, who could hardly speak without adding his mother tongue said, “before, before, I no dey worry, hunger no dey catch us. I get net, I get boat. Me and my pikin go enter water, catch fish, catch mgbe, ngolo, food go plenty, money dey, but now, na suffer I dey suffer.

“I do net, when I carry the net go water, kpofire kill everywhere, everywhere wey fish dey dey. I get net, I get boat but I dey suffer, because I dey beg somebody to pay my pikin school fees, but I get net, I get boat.

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“If not for Kofi Thompson wey pay my three children school fees, God go bless am. Kpofire pursue, kill everything, mgbe, ngolo, nothing we get again, nothing, na hunger, poverty, food no dey, money no dey.

“Before, my pikin with me, him go carry one boat go, I go carry one boat, we go catch oyster, him go full one boat, me catch full one boat. In those days N5,000 na em we dey sell am, but today because mgbe no dey, one cup, milk cup dey reach N600 naira.

Abeg, Nyesom Wike, make em try, we don suffer, especially this Bakana River, I no go talk of other people own, me as I dey like this, I born five children, today I dey suffer, if no be Kofi wey come, I no go fit pay my children school fees money, Wike help make this kpofire stop, if eh no stop, our children go thief to chop. Before, I go carry my pikin go we go kill atabala (fish) carry come but today nothing dey.”

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The fisherman expressed belief that “as rain dey fall, eh go wash the oil commot then we go get everything, if to say you come here on time, I for show you the fish wey I kill as I go river today.”

While likening the condition of fishermen in the area to the biblical story of peter who toiled all night without a catch, Iyalla called on the Rivers State governor to create employment opportunities for Rivers youth.

He believes that if the youths were gainfully employed, ‘kpofire’ would be completely eradicated from the state, as well as armed robbery, kidnapping and other vices.

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