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YADI Seeks Urgent Action Over Gas Bubbling in Rivers Community
The Youth Against Disaster Initiative (YADI) has called on relevant government agencies and oil and gas companies to urgently investigate reported gas bubbling in the coastal community of Bille in Rivers State over concerns about its potential environmental, health and livelihood impacts.
The organisation made the call following a field visit to the community by its South-South Regional Coordinator, Erabanabari Love Theophilus, who engaged residents and community stakeholders to assess the situation and hear their concerns.
During the visit, YADI observed reported gas bubbling activities in surrounding waters, raising concerns about possible threats to aquatic life, water quality, public safety and the livelihoods of residents who depend largely on fishing and other water-related economic activities.
The organisation noted that environmental degradation in coastal communities could worsen economic vulnerability, threaten food security and undermine the survival of households, particularly women and young people engaged in fishing, fish processing and trading.
YADI stressed that the reported gas bubbling should not be treated as an isolated environmental occurrence, but as a potential disaster risk requiring urgent scientific investigation, effective monitoring and appropriate institutional intervention.
It therefore urged relevant regulatory agencies, including the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), to investigate the source, extent and possible environmental and public health implications of the phenomenon.
The organisation also called for the involvement of independent environmental experts and community representatives in the investigation to ensure transparency and credibility.
It urged oil and gas companies operating in the area to cooperate with regulatory authorities, provide relevant environmental information and support preventive or remedial measures if their operations are found to have contributed to the situation.
YADI further advocated stronger community-based environmental monitoring and early warning systems to enable residents to identify and report environmental hazards, including gas bubbling, oil spills, unusual water discolouration and fish mortality.
The organisation emphasised the need for meaningful community participation, access to environmental information and effective grievance mechanisms to ensure accountability and environmental justice.
YADI reaffirmed its commitment to disaster risk reduction, environmental protection and community resilience, stressing that residents of the Niger Delta should not have to choose between economic survival and environmental safety.
