Stop consuming dead fishes littering coastline, Bayelsa govt warns residents

The government of Bayelsa State has warned residents to desist from consuming dead fishes currently littering the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean in the state.

In a statement on Tuesday in Yenagoa, by Mr Warimapo Amatari, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, the government said residents must cease from harvesting, processing, eating or selling dead fishes that have been littering the coastline in recent time.

The statement read, “People in the coastline communities are advised to henceforth refrain from collecting, processing, drying and eating the dead fishes as they are bound to be contaminated.

“The fishes appear to be contaminated by heavy metal compounds and sludge from preliminary observation and eating such fish can expose the people to cancer, kidney and liver diseases.

“So our advice is that the processing and drying of such fishes and transporting to Yenagoa, the state capital should be stopped pending the outcome of the investigation to ascertain the cause of the deaths of the fishes.

“The ministry of environment in collaboration with other government agencies is investigating the matter and in the interest of public health, we want the people to keep away from the dead fishes.”

READ ALSO: 3 siblings reportedly hit, killed by driver using wrong lane in Lagos (Video)

There have been reports of huge death of fishes across the Niger Delta region. These fishes are being deposited on the coastline by tidal waves.

Since mid-March this year, residents along Koluama, Ekeni, Ezetu, Fishtown, Foropa, Sangana axis of the Atlantic coastline in Bayelsa, have been sighting dead fishes littering the shoreline.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now