Following the widespread of black soot in Port Harcourt and its environs, car wash operators are smiling to the bank, despite the danger posed by the yet, to, be indentified source of the menace. Investigations carried out by The Tide indicate that some car wash operators are having field day, as owners of vehicles make their vehicles available for cleaning more often than was the case previously.
Some of those who spoke to The Tide said they have made a lot of profit during the period.
A car wash attendant, Mr Godknows  Ugo, who spoke to The Tide said, however, he uses more soap and cleaning materials because of the black dust in the atmosphere.
“We have been observing this black dirt and we ask the owners of these vehicles what the matter is.
“The situation is too bad for us here and I fear our lives are in danger,” he said.
Another car washer in GRA who spoke to The Tide however said the soot has an oily substance that makes him use double cleaning agents to satisfy his customers.
“I dot not see the gain I am making, even though more people bring their cars to me to be washed,” he said.
Meanwhile, some car owners who spoke to The Tide complained that they spend more money to wash their cars. According to Emeka Luke, even when you park your car inside the car garage in the morning you observe that the car is covered in soot.
He, however, called on the appropriate authorities to take action to check the menace. The Tide reports that the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Environment has blamed the black soot pollution around Port Harcourt and its environs on illegal crude oil activities.
Chairman of the committee, Christian  Ahiakwo, made this known recently when he led members of the committee to the state command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Ahiakwo observed that the unethical destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies has exposed the state to the black soot pollution.
In his response, the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mohammed Haruna commended the state law makers for their visit. Haruna noted that the intervention was timely, but blamed the development on illegal refining of crude oil in the creeks of Rivers State.
“If you look at it very well, we are saddled with the responsibility of prosecuting vandals.
“We do not just burn illegal refineries or tankers because we are against burning”, he said.