By Abdullahi Abdulrahman – Yenagoa

National News – A grassroots advocacy initiative known as the Creek to Creek Movement has launched a campaign aimed at drawing attention to the harsh realities faced by oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta that continue to live without basic development despite the wealth extracted from their land.

The campaign seeks to document and tell the stories of remote creek communities whose residents remain largely neglected in terms of infrastructure, healthcare, and social services.

According to the movement, many of these communities contribute significantly to the nation’s oil wealth but do not benefit from the resources generated from their environment.

Among the communities highlighted by the movement are Lalagbene and Adiegbe, both of which are said to be in urgent need of government intervention.

Residents in these areas reportedly face severe challenges that have persisted for years without meaningful attention from authorities.

Adiegbe community, in particular, is described as being in a very dire condition. The community has no access road linking it to neighbouring towns, leaving residents to rely on difficult forest paths as their only means of entry and exit.

This lack of infrastructure has isolated the community and limited economic and social activities.

Communication is also a major challenge, as the area reportedly lacks mobile network coverage, making it difficult for residents to contact relatives, access emergency services, or participate in modern economic activities.

Access to healthcare remains another serious concern. The absence of a functional healthcare centre means that residents often struggle to receive medical attention during emergencies.

Community members say the lack of medical facilities has contributed to several cases of avoidable deaths.

Clean water is also unavailable in the community, forcing residents to rely on untreated river water for drinking and domestic use.

Locals say the situation poses serious health risks and underscores the level of neglect faced by the community.

Education has equally suffered. Pupils in the community are currently out of school due to the lack of accommodation for teachers and the poor condition of the school building.

Without adequate facilities for educators to live and work in the area, teaching activities have come to a halt.

The Creek to Creek Movement is therefore calling for urgent government intervention to address these challenges.

Photo: Members of the Creek to Creek Movement during a community tour.

Among the key demands are the construction of an access road linking the communities to neighbouring areas, provision of potable water, establishment of a primary healthcare centre, improvement of telecommunications network coverage, and construction of accommodation for teachers to enable the resumption of academic activities.

A member of the movement, Comrade Lucky Porri, said the campaign is designed to amplify the voices of neglected creek communities and push for meaningful development that reflects their contributions to the nation’s oil economy.

He stressed that addressing these issues would not only improve the quality of life for residents but also restore hope for communities that have long felt excluded from the benefits of the resources extracted from their land.

“Lalagbene and Adiegbe communities need urgent intervention from the government.”

“Adiegbe community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State is in a very sorry situation as we speak – no road to access the community.”

“For now, you can only enter through the forest. There’s no network for communication purposes, no healthcare centre to help solve emergency situations.”

“Not only that, there’s no water. They survive only through contaminated river water.”

“Pupils are now at home because there is no accommodation for teachers, and the school building needs to be renovated.”

“Also, there are no good health facilities, and so many people have died untimely as a result of poor healthcare,” he said.

Porri believes that by providing these basic social amenities that are lacking in these communities in Ekeremor Local Government, the people’s hopes will be revived, and they will have a sense of belonging.