Nutrition Safety: Fishes, periwinkles from waters in Ogoniland spread cancer –Study

*Researchers from the Pulitzer Centre Crisis Reporting found the fishes and periwinkles from Ogoni waters, in Rivers State of Nigeria, spread cancer, warning consumers of such seafoods, especially children against the risk of cancer disease, and other cardiovascular disorders

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

Fishes and periwinkles from Ogoni waters, in Rivers State of Nigeria, infested with heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons, are unsafe for human consumption, say an independent study.

Researchers from the Pulitzer Centre Crisis Reporting found the sea foods from the waters from Ogoniland spread cancer disease in consumers.

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The study equally noted that consumers of such seafood, particularly children, stand the risk of coming down with cancer disease and other cardiovascular disorders, if nothing is done to halt the development.

ConsumerConnect reports the group released the report at a multiple stakeholder engagement by the Centre, in Rivers.

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The one-day stakeholder engagement was tagged, “Restoring Rivers, reviving livelihood, renewing life”, held at the weekend, in Akpor community, Gokana Local Council Area of Rivers State.

Anuoluwapo Adelakun, representative of the Pulitzer Centre, speaking at the event, said the investigation was inspired by the plights of the locals who reside in the community.

Adelakun, representative of the Pulitzer Centre, reportedly said: “People were constantly going to the river to fish, pick periwinkles, swim and even fetch water for their daily chores while the environment is being cleaned up and most often, some of the catch they made were found to be laced with sludge suspected to be crude oil spill, which they would rinse in the river before taking them home for consumption, or even taken to the markets for sale.”

She also stated: “It was out of curiosity of the possible health implication of consuming sea food from contaminated water that made us take samples from Bodo, K-Dere, Mogho and Gbee rivers.

“We discovered that while the cleanup is being carried out, people are still engaging with the water, fishing and eating the fish and periwinkle from the river, bathing and fetching the water for use despite the contamination.

Adelakun further explained to news reporters: “When we discovered this, we took samples of the water and the sediments of the fish and the periwinkle

According her, the researchers discovered that there was still high levels of heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons in the fish through viral accumulations.

“In other words, most of the people who are eating the fish, periwinkles and whatever they are catching from the polluted waters are likely to fall very ill in the long run, especially children.”

In attendance at the programme include HYPREP, Nigeria Oil Spill Regulating Agency (NOSRA), Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards, and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA)

Others are civil society groups, government representatives, the academia, media, women and youths, among others.

Adelakun said: “The dialogue was meant to address the issues raised when we went to the communities.”

However, the representative of the company, however, disclosed that HYPREP clarified that some of the areas the samples were reportedly taken from as the cleanup is ongoing in the South-South region.

The report as well indicated that part of the issues were complaints by the Ogoni indigenes over lack of access, communication gap between the (locals) and HYPREP.

Some residents relate experiences

In their different presentations, Chief Nadabel John, Chief Emmanuel Pii and Mrs. Grace Namon, who are some of the affected consumers in the area,

In their different, they expressed worry over the health implications of dwelling, eating and using water, food from the polluted environments.

Speaking with reporters also, Mrs. Namon said, “Most of the things that are happening to us in life we didn’t know it’s as a result of the pollution both in the air, water and the creeks.”

HYPREP rejects research findings

Speaking on behalf of the HYPREP, Peter Lenu Technical Assistant to the HYPREP Project Coordinator on Shoreline Cleanup, nonetheless, disagreed with the research findings, that fishes and periwinkles picked by fisher forks were covered in crude.

HYPREP contended that it is scientifically impossible.

Lenu argued further: “Talking about fishes, especially periwinkle, fishermen go to pick periwinkles laden in hydrocarbon, fresh crude oil and then they literally have to wash it and then they take it home for eating.

“Scientifically you can’t find periwinkles in fresh hydrocarbons still alive. And that is an area that we need to set the record straight.”

Referencing a UNEP report, the Technical Assistant to the HYPREP Project Coordinator on Shoreline Cleanup said “it will take several years, 25-30 years and the intervention is ongoing, the water quality is improving.”

He also stated: “One of their findings said that the TPH level in one of the locations that their study locations is about 277.5 milligram per kilogram.

“Scientifically when you have been able to get that kind of result of 277.5 milligram per kilogram for an area that was so contaminated that the baseline values for the average was over a 20,000 milligram per kilogram, that’s about 98% success that has been recorded in that area.

“And that is why I said significantly something has been done. But it’s a process.”

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