Stop Discharging Into Oginigba River, RSG Tells NBC …Reiterates Ban On Use Of Tyres For Meat Processing

The Rivers State Government has warned the  Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC), owners of Coca Cola to stop its discharge of water into the Oginigba river.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Pollution Control, Hon Nwuke Anucha, during a visit to the company, last Friday, warned on the health hazards of the discharge to residents of the area and to aquatic life.
Anucha advised the management of the company to ensure that its wastes are properly packaged and discharged.
His words: “We discovered that the Coca Cola waste pipe that is channelled into the river stopped half way and it was causing serious erosion and we feel that is not good for those that are working around here that is why we are here.
We have given them a one month ultimatum to do the proper thing to build an enduring pipe that will not break easily and we are believing that they have to do it.
You do business, you make your profit, but your surrounding environment should also live healthy,” Anucha added.
The Acting Plant Manager of NBC, Awodu Joseph Ita declined comment on the issue when approached by journalists.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Ministry of Health has warned that the discharge of waste water, chemicals and oil substances into the river and other sources of drinking water contributes to the health problems in the State.
The Director, Public Health Service in the Rivers State, Ministry of Health, Dr Nnanna Onyekwere said this in reaction to the discharge of waste water into the river by companies operating in Trans Amadi.
Dr Onyekwere, who accompanied the Special Adviser to the Governor on Pollution Control on visits to  some companies in Trans Amadi said the indiscriminate discharge of waste water and other substances into rivers in the  state must stop.
His words: “It is not the best practice to discharge waste water from your operations into the open river and so, there is need for an environment consultant to check the content of that water that is being discharged into the river to ensure it is safe”.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has frowned at the continued use of tyres in processing meat for consumption in abattoirs in the State.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Nweke Adolphus reiterated that the use of tyres in processing meat for consumption is prohibited in the State.
Adolphus made this declaration last Friday during an inspection of the Oginigba Trans-Amadi Slaughter, in company of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Caroline Wali.
He said the use of tyres to process meat is a huge health risk.
His words: “Our concern has been the use of tyre to burn the skin of the animal. There are lots of improvements that need to be done.
One is, we have to make efforts to normalise the burning and also to employ other avenues whereby we can also improve to make sure that this desire to stop the use of tyre is totally met and we’ll all do our best.
We should be very very careful with the kind of meat we give to the public,” Adolphus added.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana