The Bonny Improvement Association (BIA) has raised concerns over alleged illegal sand mining activities in Abalamabie Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
BIA in a statement signed by its President, Professor Sodienye Abere, and Secretary, Godwin Jumbo, warned of a looming environmental crisis if urgent action is not taken.
The socio-cultural organisation described the development as a serious threat, stating that “the perceived unguided sand mining operation is capable of destroying our ecosystem and undermining local livelihoods.
It further stated that the situation threatens the structural integrity of proximate residential areas without a proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval.”
The statement is reproduced in an abridged format below:
URGENT CLARION CALL TO DIFFUSE IMMINENT ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER POSED BY PERCEIVED ILLEGAL, EIA-FREE SAND MINING ACTIVITY IN ABALAMABIE COMMUNITY IN THE BONNY LGA OF RIVERS STATE.
The Bonny Improvement Association, BIA (founded 1919) has arguably been the foremost Bonny community-based socio-cultural organization determined to pursue the growth and development of the Bonny community through thoughtful advocacies.
In the light of the above, the BIA is issuing an urgent public alert regarding a perceived sand mining operations in the Abalamabie communities creek to enhance the execution of the proposed Bonny Vehicular Terminal project in the Bonny Island of the Bonny LGA of the Rivers State.
However, while we reiterate our resolve to accentuate the infrastructural development of Bonny kingdom, it suffices to say that this desire should not be at the cost of our existence as a community.
In the last couple of weeks, we reliably gathered residents of Abalamabie community reportedly observed the deployment of dredging machinery into the relatively narrow community creek and , massive sand stockpile, sediment removal, loud noises and discolored waters purportedly poised to engage in sand mining operations within the area.
Following preliminary investigations by residents of the said community we gathered, the proposed project has not undergone the mandatory environmental and social impact assessment required by Federal/State environmental laws.
Moreso, the contractors have not consulted residents of the said community to seek their consent prior to commencement of the project thereby infringing on their rights to healthy environment.
In this circumstance, we want to unequivocally state that the perceived unguided sand mining operations in the Abalamabie communities’ creek is capable of destroying our ecosystem, undermining local livelihoods, and threatening the structural integrity of proximate residential areas without proper Environmental Impact Assessment, (EIA) approval.
Furthermore, given the narrow nature of the Abalamabie community creek, dredging activities within the said area would render the river banks susceptible to erosion, destruction of biodiversity, and the risk of massive flooding in the coming rainy season.
The impact of this unguided dredging could, no doubt, adversely affect the livelihoods of over 1,000 residents of Abalamabie Community, who depend solely on the creek for fishing, farming, and transportation. Obviously, the turbidity of the waters is prone to cause a loss of aquatic life, while the resulting situation blocks waterways and destroy fish fish nurseries.
CALL TO ACTION:
Consequent upon the above, the BIA demand that the project proponent, Chairborne should be redirected to the oceanic Bonny River channel to source sand for the execution of the proposed Bonny Vehicular Terminal project.
To this end, we solicit the intervention of the Rivers State Ministry of Environment and the Bonny Local Government Council to investigate this perceived illegality and ensure strict adherence to Environmental Impact Assessment regulations.
We remain committed to advocacies designed to defend the overall well-being of Bonny people.
While we reaffirm our determined resolve to support the infrastructural, human capacity cum overall growth and development of Bonny kingdom, we believe this lofty goal should not come at the cost of our existence.”