Fisherfolks Communities in A’Ibom Trained on Advocacy, Networking Skills to Defend Livelihoods
By Unyime Okon
Peace Point Development Foundation (PPDF) in partnership with Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has built the capacity of fisherfolks in Akwa Ibom State towards defending their environment and livelihoods from invading interests.
The benefiting fishing communities, Opolom and Okoroutip in Ibeno local government area gathered in their numbers on Thursday at Opolom Village hall to be trained on skills for environmental advocacy and networking as community champions.
In his remarks, the Coordinator of Peace Point Development Foundation, Comrade Umo Isua-Ikoh who took participants through the Nigeria Socio-Ecological Alternatives Charter (NSAC) and the Niger Delta Alternatives Convergence (NDAC) manifesto said the implementation of the demands in the two documents holds the key to addressing the challenges facing the fisherfolks communities in Ibeno and other Niger Delta communities.
Isua-Ikoh who said the Nigerian government in collaboration with oil companies have polluted the fishing communities thus destroying fishing livelihoods noted that there is urgent need for the fishing communities to demand from the governments at the federal, state and local level to take immediate action to address the massive unemployment and poverty in the region.
He said there must be a detailed plan and costing for remediating the ecological, livelihood and health impacts of extraction on fisherfolks communities.
He added ” The fishers here are living and operating within extraction sites. We are joining voices with the fisherfolks to demand a health audit of people located in close proximity to extraction sites, and others exposed to oil contamination. This audit will aim at unravelling the negative health impacts of exposure to hydrocarbons.
” We are also asking the government to take steps to restore mangrove forests in the region and at the same time control the spread of invasive species such as nipa palm.
“While the nation convulses under growing webs of insecurity, sea piracy, illegal and unregulated fishing including by foreign entities, the resultant economic and human rights challenges to our peoples are not being addressed. Accordingly, we demand adequate protection of our coastal communities and continental shelf for the security of maritime transportation as well as fishing activities by our peoples.”
In a presentation on “Communication, Storytelling, and Sustainable Alternatives for Change in Fisherfolks communities”, an Environmental Activist, Ekemini Simon said effective communication and storytelling are crucial for promoting community resilience and driving change.
While identifying key issues affecting fisherfolks in Ibeno to include oil and gas pollution, pollution due to illegal mining activities and invasion of Nipa palm into the mangroves thus destroying breeding space for fishes, Simon said the problems facing the fisherfolks would better be appreciated through storytelling.
He said storytelling transforms complex issues into relatable human experiences, encouraging understanding and action towards sustainability.
The Environmental Activist storytelling stirs emotional connections by driving people to take meaningful steps towards combating the problems facing fisherfolks and supporting eco-friendly initiatives.
He said while traditional storytelling would address the duty bearers within communities, digital storytelling through social media, videos, music and interactive content, can amplify the community messages beyond their immediate environment and also inspire action.
Simon who led a practical section on how to develop a simple community action plan and advocacy message through story telling how charged participants to explore phone-in programmes on radio and public hearings at the State Assembly to make their plight known.
In a presentation by Helen Eyo on “Grassroots Organizing and Advocacy for Environmental Justice,” the facilitator said since fisherfolk in Ibeno face environmental challenges due to oil exploration and production, there was need for them to seek ways to strengthen themselves through network of fishers thus promote participatory advocacy, and have stronger advocate for policy change that will benefit fishing communities.
She introduced the foremost networks that will promote the interest of fisherfolk as FishNet Alliance, Women’s Eco Defenders, and Youth Ambassadors.
Eyo said the FishNet Alliance is a network of fisherfolk communities working together to promote sustainable fishing practices and advocate for environmental justice.
The facilitator explained that Women’s Eco Defenders is a group of women dedicated to protecting the environment and promoting sustainable livelihoods while Youth Ambassadors is made up of young leaders who can mobilize their peers and promote environmental awareness.
While urging the community members to belong to the recommended groups, she pointed out that community networks are essential for collective action and support since there is shared Knowledge through exchange of information on best practices, challenges, and opportunities.
Eyo added that such networks provide opportunities for capacity building as skills and expertise in advocacy will be developed, communities better organised, and livelihoods made more sustainable.
” Beyond that, since your community is on the fence line of climate challenges, networks like this provide support. It could be emotional and practical support in the face of environmental challenges.”, she added.
On his part, the village head of Opolom Community, Chief John Ibanga thanked PPDF and HOMEF for understanding the plight of the fishing community and availing themselves to train them.
He said he plans to gather his community and see how well they implement the learnings from the training so that the world can see the pollution they are facing and intervene thus improve their fishing livelihoods.
Ibanga said he looks forward to exchange learning opportunities from other fishing communities to see how they are adapting to their challenges and also learn from their advocacy strategies.
Highpoint of the event was the inauguration of the fisherfolks into FishNet Alliance.