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WED: Air Pollution Kills 8m Yearly -Don …Urges Nigerians To Desist From Fossil Fuel Use

Published

7 years ago

July 1, 2019

No fewer than eight million people die every year in Africa as a result of complications arising from air pollution due to high dependence on fossil fuels.
This is even as clean energy advocates, climate change awareness campaigners, scientists and leaders across the world have intensified efforts aimed at proffering pragmatic solutions to the global energy challenge through smart and efficient alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and poisonous particulates and improve environmental sustainability.
A lecturer in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Dr Bolaji Babatunde Bernard, who revealed this in a presentation on ‘Beat Air Pollution’ before a crowd of thousands of stakeholders, including students, the academia, environmentalists, community and environmental rights activists, extractive industry players and policy-makers, as part of activities to mark the 2019 World Environment Day, in Port Harcourt, regretted that the yearly death toll was alarming, and needed immediate roll-back to save humanity from self-inflicted catastrophe.
Bernard said that the awareness campaign event, woven around the theme of this year’s World Environment Day, was not only apt but comes at a time when climate change concerns were at their peak, even in Rivers State, where soot and other air polluting particulates from activities of the extractive industry, construction firms, artisans, and criminal gangs have worsened the health problems of millions of citizens not only in Rivers State, and Nigeria but also across most industrialised nations.
The event was organised to create platform for the governments, the academia, private sector, and NGOs to find common grounds on how to tackle environmental issues associated with air pollution.
The university lecturer reminded the Federal Government of the expediency to implement policies that promote clean energy solutions as enduring alternatives to fossil fuels, arguing that the switch to efficient sources of energy to drive industrialisation and address domestic needs would help humanity reduce the number of deaths associated with air pollution.
According to him, “Air Pollution is a big problem the world over, largely because the bulk of the energy source is fossil fuel, which when burnt, produces lots of substances that interfere with the normal composition of air such as oxides of sulphur, nitrogen, methane and particulate matters 2.5, 7, and 10, among other harmful poisonous metals”.
He expressed support to Bank of Industry’s plans to build the largest solar panel plant to provide electricity for millions of households in sub-Saharan Africa, and advocated the extension of the gesture to industrial users across the African continent.
“This way, we can develop in a more sustainable manner. The Nigeria government must adjust some of its policies. We already have good policies governing air pollution. All the government needs do is to ensure 100 per cent compliance by stakeholders.
“The government needs to empower its agencies responsible for regulating air quality so that they will be able to establish verifiable inventory of air pollution in the state and the country. This way, air pollution can be controlled”.
He appealed to the Rivers State Government to implement the recommendations of a special study group in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, which established an inventory of air pollution in the state, adding “The fresh air quality index has been established by our study funded by the Rivers State Government, inventory is already on ground, so measurements of air quality on daily basis can be regulated by the government.”

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Featured

RSG Floats MNET Culture Content Promo

Published

4 days ago

November 6, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.

He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.

He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.

“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.

Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.

The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.

On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.

Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.

With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.

He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.

Kevin Nengia

Featured

APC Presidential Campaign Storms PH, ‘Morrow

Published

4 days ago

November 6, 2026

The Tide

Barring last minute changes, the presidential campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will storm Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, tomorrow.

This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.

The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.

The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.

President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.

The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.

The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.

The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.

Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.

Featured

2027: Be Politically Neutral, Fubara Tasks Traditional Rulers

Published

2 weeks ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged traditional rulers in the State to maintain neutrality, ensure fairness and uphold peace in their domains as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Fubara gave the charge on Wednesday while declaring open the 126th, 127th and 128th Combined Quarterly Meeting of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, in Port Harcourt.

The governor said the primary function of traditional rulers is to administer justice and ensure fairness, saying their conduct must not lead to division and unmanageable crises.

“Let me therefore, request, if that is the right word to use, that please, as we are entering into this political season actively, everyone should ensure that your conduct promoted peace in your place. Your actions should not be what would lead to the division and multiple crisis that we cannot manage as a government.

“I think with that, we can all live as one and we can also continue to make this progress that we are trying with all our mind, our body and our soul, to ensure that we deliver to our dear State,” he said.

Fubara urged the royal fathers to abide by the oath and constitution they swore to before ascending their respective stools, in the interest of stability and progress of the State.

He also enjoined them to set aside individual sentiments and place the interest of Rivers State above personal considerations, noting that this principle has guided his own day-to-day governance of the State.

“I want to enjoin everyone to keep aside issues of individual sentiments and ensure that the interest of our state supersedes whatever thing that we have in our mind. This is not just what I’m saying here, it is what I’ve also practiced and displayed in my day-to-day life in the governance of our dear State,” he said.

On the appeal for improved welfare for traditional rulers, the governor clarified that the delay in actualising some of the requests they made in the past was not from the government but from the inability of the Council to put its house in order.

Fubara explained that the issue of stipends paid to the traditional rulers by the local government councils, was a statutory benefit provided for in the constitution and not what a state governor can change by mere verbal pronouncements.

He assured that he remains a man of his word and will fulfill his promises to the traditional rulers before leaving office, next year.

He reaffirmed his respect for the traditional institution as custodians of culture and the closest link to the people, thanking them for their prayers and support.

The governor urged the royal fathers to ensure that the combined quarterly meeting featured fruitful deliberations that will strengthen peace and development in the State.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Eze Chike Amadi Worlu Wodo, expressed profound gratitude to the State Government for its efforts in maintaining a cordial relationship with the traditional institution.

Wodo highlighted the importance of traditional rulers in conflict resolution, noting that their closeness to the people places them in a strategic position to mediate in disputes involving chieftaincy matters, family disputes and land ownership in their respective communities.

The royal father drew the attention of the State Government to some challenges affecting the performance of the traditional institution, particularly the lack of official utility vehicles and logistical support needed to discharge its responsibilities effectively.

He also appealed for improved monthly stipends and better welfare provisions to reflect prevailing economic realities.