RIVERS STATE AND THE DEADLY SOOT.
The
governor of Rivers state should show strength, where he needs to show
strength; fight illegal oil refining which is causing blacksoot with
adverse health effects on residents.
A child
born today in Rivers state is exposed to health and environmental
challenges of black soot. Babies, children, adults, the youths, the
elderly people and even animals in Rivers state are inhaling
contaminated air.
blacksoot is everwhere in
the environment, when you sneeze or cough, you cough out blacksoot, your
bedsheets, rug carpets, floor tiles all stained, when you walk with
barefoot, your feet will be stained, no matter how much you clean, it
flows with the air. You keep moping the floor to keep your feet clean
else your feet will be as if you entered an untidy mechanic workshop,
those with coloured rug carpets, it all turned black. Even more
disturbingly is, you put your hand in the nose and you'll see the black
particles of soot.
The question is; When will
the government of Rivers state counter this threat to human health and
environment called "Black soot"
Soot is a
byproduct of fossil fuel, which involves burning of coal, or industrial
fuel, or legal oil refining. Black soot is a fine black powder that can
be slightly sticky, capable of darkening surfaces. It is said to be
majorly caused by incomplete combustion of carbon, that is, the gas
flaring of illegal refining of crude oil, usual from illegal
exploitation of pipelines in the state.
Rivers
state is a major beneficiary of the revenues generated from legal crude
oil activities in the state. It's where the state gets money to run
their government and fund the infrastructure, the people vandalising and
involved in bunkering, the communities where it takes place are all in
Rivers. The state government must show strength to eradicate this
problem, but proper attention haven't been given to the situation.
Those
involved in vandalising pipelines are sabotaging the state's source of
income, the government is supposed to go after them in full force for
tampering with the pipelines. Afterall, these people are not ghosts,
they are known to the state, their locations are not hidden, they are
not invisible.
If government wants to stop
anything it can. Health of the people is involved, lives have been
affected. The people depends and expects the government to show strength
where they are supposed to show strength. Black soot is a threat to
human health, environment and even to economic activities in the state.
Rivers
state, is known as a beautiful place to behold, the treasure base of
the nation, a place everyone would love to stay, tall buildings with
beautiful eye catching paintings, but since the unfortunate blacksoot
begins in the state for years now, even paintings of buildings turns
dark as if it's not painted, furnitures turns dark no matter the number
of cleaning, the floor and everything is being affected by this
environmental pollution "Black soot"
What is
the government of Rivers state doing about the black soot? How are they
responding to the cry of the people? Is Rivers state government playing
blame games? What's the way forward? The residents of Rivers state
expects answers with actions, reliable informations and day to day
updates of government's efforts in fighting to end the blacksoot
wherever it's coming from.
We see the governor
of Rivers state, Bar. Nyesom Wike mostly on television inaugurating
projects, that's a good thing for development. However, infrastructure
is useless to a dead man and less important to a sick person on the
hospital bed. Fighting this deadly blacksoot should be the state
government's primary assignment and focus, because the residents needs
to survive, be alive, before they can enjoy the infrastructure.
I
sometimes ponder, why nothing has been done about the black soot till
now. Is it because those in government are always from air condition
offices, to air condition cars, then to air condition homes? And the
little time they spent outside, they protect themselves by wearing
protective masks? While the ordinary residents of Rivers state, those
who bring them to power, the people they swear to protect, the same
people that gave them the opportunity and privilege of power, spend more
than half of the day outside inhaling this disturbing air, helplessly!
Isn't it pitiful?
Thought-provokingly,
the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimated 600,000
people die in Africa every year as a result of air pollution. The
Natural question is; how many persons have died as a result of this, in
Rivers State? Can imagine the number of people that might have died
without record. Emotionally triggering and unimaginably disturbing to
every right thinking individual and government.
If
ever the government is doing anything to check this problem or subdue
its source then, they are not doing enough to inform and educate the
citizens about their efforts and progress if any. Or Is the state
government avoiding to go after these people? or maybe not courageous
enough because they might be political thugs? And protecting the
beneficial roles they play in their politics? Is the state government
politicising the blacksoot, even with people lives? If the state
government is not overlooking the excesses of the people causing the
blacksoot, I believe they can be monitored and flushed out for the
benefits of millions of Rivers residents.
Blacksoot is worse than covid19.
Aside
the irritation of eyes, nose and throat associated with common air
pollution, black soot has been linked with upper respiratory illnesses,
and due to it's severe level of toxicity, it is capable of causing
cancer which may lead to untimely deaths. Putting into consideration the
financial capability of many Nigerians and the county's dilapidated
health structure.
Recall, the AFP reports that
doctors in Port Harcourt say they are seeing the health effects of the
soot already, with an increase in consultations for breathing
difficulties, including asthma.
Most people
have relocated from Rivers state, even more wished they could relocate
because of this blacksoot, millions of residents are helpless because
their livelihoods and families are all in Rivers state, so they are
enduring the death threat of blacksoot.
At this point, I would like to ask again. What has the government of Rivers state done so far, since it started?
Where is the record? Why are the people left uninformed about the progress?
As
a resident in Rivers state, I'm calling the attention and advising the
state government to channel their strength in to protecting the lives of
Rivers residents. The executive governor of Rivers state, Bar. Nyesom
wike show strength as the strong man that we know you to be, in chasing
out this domestic and health disturbance in the state, because to be
alive and healthy is far, far more valuable and important than any
infrastructure.
Just as NCDC puts out
statistics of covid 19 cases on a daily basis, the report on blacksoot
should be on a daily basis, for the public to know the government's
efforts and progress. Yes, it is that important. Health they say, is
wealth.
The government of Rivers state owe it's citizens and residents that much.
Written by Hadiza Babakatcha.
Reporter and journalist.
Yajoomedia. Port Harcourt
No comments:
Post a Comment