Residents and members of Joinkrama clan in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State have expressed worry over the level of environmental degradation, poverty, and neglect in the area, despite having 48 oil wells operated by multinational companies.
The community plays host to Adibawa oilfield operated by one of the oil giants multinational and is said to be ravaged by inaccessible roads cut off by flood and erosion.
Some residents who spoke with the newsmen during a Community Dialogue on the issues of oil pollution organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, (HOMEF), lamented that the Orashi river which serves as their major source of water is highly polluted by Crude
Renowned environmentalist and Director of HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey, described Joinkrama as a geographical laboratory for the study of environmental problems, ranging from flood, gas flaring and oil spills.
He said the situation in Joinkrama is pitiable and unacceptable, but however informs that diagnostic Dialogue is imperative to find out the situation in communities heavily impacted by global warming.