Page:Niger Delta Ecosystems- the ERA Handbook, 1998.djvu/223

Human Ecosystems: Sangana in Akassa Barracuda, Tuna, Red Snappers, Rays and Sawfish; and further in shore, Bonga, Mullet and others. Crabs, the Spiny Lobster, and shrimps also come from the inshore waters.

Estuarine fishing tends to be by pulling canoe and the catch is similar to the inshore catch.

Beach fishing is mainly undertaken by young men with throwing nets, catching the smaller fish such as mullet, and includes taking beach crabs. Small boys fish with lines and hooks in the creeks and rivers.

Basket fishing is done in the swamps catching, amongst other fish, Talapia and mangrove fishing includes the collection of periwinkles, oysters and crabs.

19.7.2 OTHER ASPECTS OF THE ECONOMY

Like other Niger Delta communities, although Sangana lies in an oil producing area is gets no benefits from the oil wealth that accrues to Nigeria, but it bears some of the economic costs: the Agip spill in 1980 has had no long-term environment affects, but it has had a strong psychological consequence inasmuch as people constantly fear another spill (this fear was realised by a small spill in February 1993).

Farming is an incidental activity, dominated by fruit trees planted around houses (mangoes, plantains, papaya, and coconuts). There is a little cassava, very small rice plots planted on cleared mangrove soils, and chickens.

Other primary industry comes a long way behind fishing and includes: raffia wine tapping (by visiting Ogonis), oil palm cutting, hunting, and timber felling.

Most secondary industry is related to fishing and includes boat building (dug out canoes and with planks), fish drying and manufacture of nets, baskets and drying racks. Agricultural secondary industry is minor by comparison including palm oil and palmkernel production and gin distilling from raffia palm-wine. Non-agricultural secondary industry includes: tailoring; baking; brick making; basic carpentry; and building. All are dependent partly or wholly on imports

19.8 SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STATUS OF AKASSA.

The economic activity of Akassa is entirely dependent upon fishing: all other food is imported. Real incomes are probably above average and unlike many parts of Nigeria, there is no protein shortage. Nonetheless there is a capital shortage and it is difficult for young men to set up as captains of their own boats.

Except for schools, public services are rare: there is no piped water, no electricity and health services are rudimentary. There are no roads.

The society is run by men who make most of the decisions but as fishermen and unlike most rural Nigerian societies, they do not appear to have an easier life than the women who process the fish catches.

There is not the deep frustration, about the lack of facilities, education and opportunity, that is so obvious in many Niger Delta communities, or, despite the Agip spill, anger with the oil industry (although it was a different story in Brass). All the same there are complaints about education, poor drinking water and electricity. As a result of the low level of frustration there is no strong political feeling apart from a pride of independence. There is a high level of self-organisation and discipline, by necessity to some degree, because of the government's apparent ignorance of Akassa and communities like it. 221