Nation
Harmattan Haze Disrupts Flight Operations At Yola Airport
A heavy harmattan haze on Friday disrupted flight operations at Yola International Airport and aborted the movement of air passengers.
The Tide On Sunday source reports that many passengers could not travel as airlines cancelled their flights because of the bad weather.
Mr Moses Williams, the Manager of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency in Yola, said that aircraft could not fly because of poor visibility.
“The bad weather is affecting the service of the airport as aircraft are not flying because of poor visibility,” he said.
Williams said since Thursday evening, no aircraft had taken off or landed at the airport, adding that one aircraft from Abuja was sent back because of the haze.
“Yesterday, an IRS aircraft with passengers from Abuja was sent back to Abuja because of bad weather and the safety of the passengers on board,” he said.
Also, Mr Ibrahim Ajao, the officer on duty of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, said the weather was affecting flight operations.
Ajao said the target visibility for aircraft to take off or land was devastated by the haze, which originated from the trans-Atlantic wind from the Sahara Desert.
“From now till the next three days ,we are expecting that the dust will be over,’’ he said, and added that if the situation persisted, it could be linked to the effect of global warming.
He said the dust measured between 200m and 300m and as such it was not favourable to flying.
Ajao advised motorists to put on their head lamps while driving, while people wear masks to protect themselves.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3