Niger Delta Communities Demand Environmental Audit for Justice

Communities in the Niger Delta region have renewed their calls for an environmental audit to address the long-term effects of oil and gas pollution on their health and livelihoods. This demand was made during the second edition of the People’s Environmental Assembly, also known as Eco-Festival, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, organized by the environmental advocacy group We The People.

The event, themed “A Celebration of Culture, Resilience and Resistance,” attracted various participants, including environmental activists and civil society organizations. Comrade Ken Henshaw, Executive Director of We The People, emphasized the need for a comprehensive environmental audit to assess the damage caused by over seven decades of oil exploration.

Community representatives, including Precious Ibegwura from Erema Community, expressed concerns over health challenges, strange deaths, and infertility linked to pollution. They called for urgent investigations and remediation efforts to restore their environment and secure justice for affected communities.