President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to approve the release of money paid to the Presidency by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited as compensation for the oil spills at the Qua Iboe oil fields which affected fishermen operating in the Atlantic coastline of Akwa Ibom.

Chairman of the Akwa Ibom Chapter of Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria, ARFAN, Samuel Ayadi, made the call on Tuesday in Eket, Southern Akwa Ibom.

According to Ayadi, the fishermen had a combined claim for compensation from the oil field from 2000 to 2010, which was pending at the Presidency. He said although the immediate past administration, which mediated in the case, was paid the money by Mobil for onward payment to the affected communities, they were yet to receive the fund.

“We learnt that the Presidency in the immediate past administration stepped into the matter and received some funds to settle the victims but unfortunately the fund was not handed over before they left office.

“We have suffered untold hardship over the non-payment of the consolidated claims, a development that had crippled fishing activities and reduced fish supply,” Ayadi said.

He appealed to the President to authorise the release of the fund in line with his change agenda.

“We have not been able to get out of the problems caused by incessant oil spills as more than 7,000 of our members were impacted by the spills, our members lost  fishing gear and accessories over the period,” Ayadi said.

The plan by government to diversify the economy and revamp agriculture, Ayadi noted, was noble, as the fishing subsector was capable of meeting local demand and in the process save the government the scarce foreign exchange spent on the importation of fish.