20th April, 2020
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
There is apprehension among fish consumers in Rivers State following the massive death of fishes on the shores of Bonny Island and Andoni Oceans in Rivers State which are being consumed and sold to unsuspecting consumers.
The cause pf the death of the massive quantity of fishes is unknown. The specie of fishes found ashore Bonny Island is mainly croaker, while those found in Andoni shores are of different species including croaker.
However, the Rivers State Government has taken some steps to get to the root cause of the death of the fishes as the Commissioner For Agriculture, Dr Fred Kpakol who confirmed the strange phenomenon, assured that investigation into the cause of the death of the fishes has begun as samples have been taken to a laboratory at the Rivers State University department of fishery.
Dr.Kpakol also warned residents of the state not to eat the fish.
Meanwhile, the affected fishing community of Onyorokoto in Andoni local government area of has cried out for help considering the health risk the dead fishes must have posed on its people who must have eaten those fishes.
The Rivers State Ministry of Environment has also confirmed massive death of fishes along the Rivers of Finima in Bonny LGA and Oyorokoto in Andoni LGA.
A report which was brought to the attention of the Ministry by King M. O. Dic-Isotu, Abah Ogwuile XIII of Unyengala Doni Town in Andoni LGA.
Reacting to the incidents, the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Igbiks Tamuno has called on the people living in the affected communities not to eat the said fishes, as the ministry will carry out a full-scale investigation to ascertain the actual cause of the death.
Investigations showed that the samples of the dead fishes found the in the two Local Governments have been taken to Fisheries Department of Rivers State University, RSU, and the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Studies the University of Port Harcourt for laboratory analysis to find out the cause of death.
Meanwhile, National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency, NODSRA and National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, have been drafted to find out the cause strange phenomenon.
Our correspondent learnt that the decision was reached after a consultative meeting was held between the State Government and the Federal agencies.
Latest reports have it that similar dead fishes were also found ashore coastal Communities in Bayelsa and some parts of Delta states.
Expectedly, residents of the areas have been fetching the “free dead fishes as manna from heaven at the time of the lockdown over coronavirus control”.
At the time of filing this report, the laboratory analysis report of samples of the dead fishes was yet to be made known by relevant referral authorities.