Traditional rulers in Bayelsa State have begged President Muhammadu Buhari to speak to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to help improve their impoverished communities.
The Bayelsa chiefs’ appeal to NDDC over dead fishes was contained in a letter dated April 27, 2020, signed by 29 royal fathers and addressed to the President through the office of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godwsill Akpabio.
According to them, they had to involve the president because of the ongoing massive ecological disaster in their fishing environment for over one month due to the activities of multinational oil corporations.
They added that it gets worse as the communities also battle the harsh impacts of COVID-19 lockdown order by the government.
The letter read, “Our purpose of bringing this problem to your Excellency was informed by the ongoing massive ecological disaster in our fishing environment for more than one month now by the activities of multinational oil corporations.
“It is seriously and negatively impacting us as riverine people that earn a living by fishing.
“We are at the same time suffering the harsh impacts of COVID-19 lockdown order by the government.
“Your Excellency should help us intervene and direct the NDDC to come to the rescue of oil host communities who are going through hardship.”
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