By Nsan Ndoma-Neji
A non-governmental organization operating within the Nigeria Delta region of Nigeria under the aegis of Kebetkache Women Development and Resources Centre has charged fishermen of Bakassi Peninsula to desist forthwith from from use of premium motor spirit (petroleum product) for preservation of crayfish and crabs.
The organization stated that use of preservation of crayfish and crabs with premium motor spirit (pmp), can led to cancer and other terminal diseases that can send an individual to early grave.
Executive director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resources Centre,Dr. Mrs. Emem Okon, gave the warning while speaking to 30 participants in the training workshop on Climate change, mitigation and adaptation strategies in Calabar on Friday.
The training funded by Oxfam, was carried out to assist in the fight against impact of climate change, mitigation processes and adaptation strategies, bring participants from nooks and crannies of riverine communities of Cross River south to brainstorm on the issue.
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The executive director stated that should the fishermen failed to heed the warning, the health of most crayfish consumers is likely to be in jeopardy.
She said that use of petroleum product for crayfish preservation in the creeks of Bakassi and other riverine communities in Cross River State in recent times has become an issue for concern.
Speaking on the issue, member of Community Stakeholder Network (CSN) at Esuk Nsidung street Calabar South local government area of the state, Princess Bibiana Edem, also decried used of chemicals not approved by NAFDAC to catch smaller species of fishes, stressing that its one of the social odds among fishermen in the coastal communities which stakeholders were able to put an end
Also speaking in an interactive session on mitigation of climate change shortly after the training of participants which took place at 60 MCC road Calabar, conservationists and Chief Executive Officer CEO, Sentient Farms Venture Calabar, Lawrence Peters advocated for use of palm kennel shells to smoke crayfish and cooking of meals rather than resort to destroying mangrove for firewood.
The CEO stated that cutting down mangroves forest for firewood can expose humanity to natural disaster that might be difficult to contend with.
In his words, the conservationist said, “I feel it is out of place for people to go out there and indiscriminately destroy our mangroves by means of deforestation being a driver.
“I understand that we have livelihood challenge and we might want to use the mangroves because it burns like wild fire.
“That’s notwithstanding, we should think otherwise ways to adopt strategies like use of bricket that burns very well but with no negative impact as cutting down the mangroves.
“If we don’t restraint ourselves from cutting down the mangroves, a time will come that we may no longer find any of the species of periwinkle and crabs, that hides on the roots of mangroves that we might be in dire need of. this will not be find at all,” he maintained.
Earlier in his paper presentation, Godson Jim- Dorgu of Mac-Jim Foundation advocated for inclusion of women in finding solutions for climate change impact.
He enumerated causes of climate change to include; burning of fossil fuels and bush burning, trees cutting among others asking participants to seek for adaptation strategies to overcome impact of climate change in their environment.
