Prime Initiative for Green Development (PIGD) non-profit making and non-governmental organization, with a mission to champion the effort of eradicating environmental hazards by creating Environmental sustainability awareness on Climate Change has paid a special visit to Azubie Okujagu a coastal community with divergent challenges such as lack of potable drinking water and poor access to basic sanitation and hygiene in Port Harcourt city LGA in Rivers State.
According to Thankgod Uzomah, Executive Diretor, while desribing the horffic situation within the community told us that unavailability of portable water, environmental pollution, terrible waste management process from the industrial activities companies within the area and total neglect of basic infrastructure by government has caused major setback in the growth and development of the community.
He further said that inteviews with the prominent chief and some of the locals and indigenes also corroborated the pathetic situation of the community.
Prince, a 19 years old young boy, an indigene posited that “potable water is a luxury they do not enjoy in Azuobie and that the level of environmental depredate they are facing is inhumane” Mary king another respondent on the other hand complained of human waste and difficulty in getting portable water for simple domestic activities.
Emmanuel pleaded with relevant authority to come to their aid with provision of water, clearing of rivers of pollution so that they can resume their fishing business because all the fishes are either dead or migrated due to the pollution of the rivers.
The young lady complained of environmental degradation nd lack of portable water, she said when the river over-flows its banks due to heavy rain-fall, it usually carries human waste into the community.
By the time PIGD had done with the survey, they concluded that the community needs a total remediation and cleaning from environmental pollution.
Thankgod also met with the chairman community development committee (CDC), Mr Preciouse Okujagu. He explained that the community had been enduring this problem for over 30 years. Their only access to water is through bore-hole and these bore-holes have to be drilled to the depth of over 150-200ft to access good water because water around the community is saline.
From PIGD observation, Azuabie Okujagu indeed is in dire need of urgent support particularly in the area of provision of potable water , environmental re-engineering and provision of basic infrastructures. They are calling on reputable international organization and government to ameliorate their situation.