Environmental activist, Comrade Sheriff Mulade has urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to address the degradation of the environment in the oil rich Niger Delta region.

Mulade in a chat with journalists in Warri, Delta State expressed worry government is not doing enough to issue environmental pollution in the region.

The human rights activist who described the environment as the future and heritage of the people, alleged that activities of Multinational oil companies operating in the region have destroyed the ecosystem.

According to him, “The environment is our future, it is our pride and heritage. I am deeply concerned about the way and manner our environment has been destroyed by the multinational oil companies. Our traditional fishing and farming have been destroyed and unfortunately, government at all levels are paying lips service to the environment inspite of the calls by the people of the region for something drastic to be done about the polluted environment.

“The Federal Government has shown to the people of the oil-rich Niger Delta that they are not concerned about the region, but only interested in the oil wealth coming from the region. It is the responsibility of the government to protect the environment. The multinational oil companies are dictating to the government about the region”, he said.

The Environmentalist appealed to the Federal Government to be more concerned about the environment rather than the crude oil so as to save the environment in the region.

Communities in the region have suffered decades of pollution arising from the operations of oil companies, which has led to contamination of water sources and river pollution while farmlands have also been impacted as oil spill incidences are common in the area, he noted.