Rivers Lawmaker Tasks FG On Blacksoot

The Chairman, Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Hon Christian Ahiakwo has called on the Federal Government to show adequate commitment over the black soot affecting the Rivers State and Niger Delta region as a result of oil exploitation.
Ahiakwo who made the call when he appeared Saturday on a special Radio interview programme in Port Harcourt said the call had become imperative as the state had very limited powers to deal with the issue.
The lawmaker explained that issues concerning oil exploration and exploitation fell within the exclusive list in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but regretted that since people of the area had been crying out over the blacksoot, much was still expected from the government at the centre.
He disclosed that when the matter got to the Federal Government, it said a committee had been set up to look into the issue adding that till date, the Federal Government’s committee on the matter had not visited Rivers State to ascertain the impact of the environmental menace.
He stressed the urgent need for the Federal Government to take in full responsibility in view of the danger oil and gas producing communities in the state are facing because of the black soot.
Stakeholders believe that black soot threatening both lives and environment in the region was caused by gas flaring in the state.
Successive administrations in the country had promised to check the menace but unfortunately the trend persists.
Apart from flaring of gas by oil multinationals, illegal bunkering as well as mass destruction of petroleum products through burning by officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) are said to have also contributed to the increased rate of black soot in the state.

Chris Oluoh