Environment
PH Residents Jittery Over Re-Emergence Of Black Soot
The reemergence of the black-soot in Port Harcourt and its environs has again taken the front burner in the state.
These complaints are coming especially after months of respite.
The Tide learnt that some of the areas currently experiencing the problem include, Ada-George, Abuloma, Borikiri, Trans/Amadi Bunde Ama, Abonnema Wharf, Rumuokwurusi amongst others.
It would be recalled at the appearance of the soot two years ago, concerns were raised over the possible health implication of its pollution effects on the populace.
This situation led the government to immediately take urgent action to check the impending disaster.
It would be noted that the present administration under the able leadership of Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike had inaugurated a committee to proffer solution to the problem.
The government had also embarked on series of campaign to check the proliferation of illegal refining and the burning of tyres and confiscated crude from illegal refiners.
Further more environmental campaigners under the aegis of “stop the soot the campaign” had embarked on series of rallies across the city to demand for both State and Federal actions on the menace.
The protesters particularly called for an end to illegal oil refineries while the security agencies should caution its men from the burning of illegal crude oil laden vessels.
A cross section of respondents in the state believed that the action by the Government and the civil right activist were responsible for the partial disappearance of the soot.
But environmentalists and some other stakeholders have argued that there was noting like partial disappearance of the soot.They blamed the non appearance of the soot on weather condition.
Leading the pack of the experts is the former President of the Nigerian Environmental Society, Mr Olu Ander Wai-Ogosu.
Mr Wai Ogosu said it was wrong for people to believe that there was no soot in the atmosphere for sometime now, adding that the effect of the soot was reduced as a result of the incessant rainfall.
“An uninformed person will believe that there was no soot for sometime now because it was not visible to the eyes.
“This particulate substance had always been in the atmosphere but was being washed away by the rains”.
The former NES President further said that there is no way, the soot can go away as long as people continue with their old behaviour.
According to him, with the proliferation of illegal refineries, in the creeks, burning of tyres to entrant copper wire, using of firewood for cooking and the continuous destruction of barges and other vessels used for illegal oil bunkering the soot will continue to remain with us.
The environmentalist stressed the need for aggressive altitudinal change campaign by the relevant authorities, stressing that apart from the proliferation of artisanal refineries, the continuous use of firewood for cooking by communities is aiding and abetting global warming.
“Some unwholesome activities such as, burning of material wastes in the open air, illegal oil bunkering or artisanal refineries and use of tyres to burn animals, all these things are contributing to climate change.
Ogosu stressed the need for the problem to be tackled from its source. “It can be tackled from the source people should be stopped from burning tyres.
“Government should put effective measures to ensure that bunkered products are not destroyed but sent to the refinery”.
He also said that effort should be made to control the manner in which Obsolete trucks bellow black smoke into the atmosphere from their exhaust pipes.
“The shortest measure is to drastically change the attitude of people to burning wastes in dumpsites.
“There should be aggressive education to stop people from burning waste”.
Government should make gas available for cooking.
Also speaking the programme officer of the Centre for Environment Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Mr. Steve Obodoekwe, described the reappearance of the soot as a sad development.
“It is too bad and saddening that Port Harcourt residents are still living with the soot menace.
“It is too bad that inspite of public outcries, no serious action has been embarked upon to end the soot by the federal government.
Mr. Obadoekwe also stressed the need for the government to carry out research to ascertain the actual causes of the problem adding that “while the study is awaited, gas flaring should be stopped”
Also the chairman, Health Safety and Environment Coommittee, Chinwo Town Port Harcourt, Prince William Chinwo, stressed the need for government to take concise and decisive action on the issue without compromise.
“The matter requires critical action by the State and Federal Governments he said.
It would be noted that the Rivers State government is leaving no stone unturned to solve the problem this time around.
If the statement by the State Commissioner for Health, Professor Princewill Chike at an event in Port Harcourt is anything to go by, the end of the soot is in sight.
Some stakeholders in Okoroagu community in the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers state have blamed the perennial erosion in the community on the poor conditions of their road.
They are therefore calling for the rehabilitation of their road.
They said this in an interview with The Tide, at okoroagu.Speaking to The Tide,the Ochimba of Okoroagu community, Eze Marcus Amadi said the poor conditions of their road has retarded the growth and development of the community.
According to Eze Amadi,”The government has neglected us, they have forgotten about us, we have been writing letters to the government, both to the NDDC to come and repair our road for us, we are on our knees pleading to them to come help us out, at least they should just dredge the road for us”
Continuing he said”If the government comes today to repair our road, nobody will say they shouldn’t.
“Nobody will obstruct them. We have been shouting and crying that our road is not good, the road is affecting the community economically and socially in the sense that, there is no way we can carry our crops out because of erosion.
“Erosion have taken over the road, making it difficult for us to access other communities especially during rainfall you see people falling down and getting injured inside the river which we call Mmiri Ehe in our language, which reaches our waist line during raining season. Our people can not go to other market to sell their products due to the bad road”he saidAlso speaking,Chairman Community Development Committee( CDC )Okoroagu , Hon. Elvis Nwaobasi decried the situation of the road, stressing that economic activities are being affected as movement of goods and services have gradually slowed down in the area.
” The road have affected our women so badly, they are no longer going to the other neighboring markets to sell their Agric produce because of the nature of the road.
“This road has also affected us in many ways, it has affected our educational system, security system, it has also affected our health system, because with the nature of that road, people cannot access our health facilities in the community, with the nature of that road, people cannot access our school, with nature of the road, people cannot come in and do business in our community, we cannot access the road because of the neglect of the road.
“People are using our road for excuses to come in and invest and do businesses. People who come to our market to buy our products are no longer coming because of the nature of the road.” I am pleading with the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayig Fubara to please come to the aid of Okoroagu and repair our road. I am pleading with the Rivers State House of Assembly, we are suffering too much because of this road. We have been neglected and abandoned for years, the government should please come to our aid” he said.Also the women leader of Okoroagu community, Mrs. Anthonia Nweke blamed some politicians from the area for abandoning the people of Okoroagu
“Our road has been abandoned, overlooked, with no attention, mostly the higher politicians of the place, we have been abandoned for years”
In furtherance to the commitment of the Federal Government through the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation (HYPREP) to the full implementation of the recommendations of the UN Environment Programme Report on Ogoni Environment, the Project has commenced processes to designating Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site.
Labaran Ahmed, National Focal Point for Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance and Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Environment, who is leading the process for collection of field samples, said the move will converse biodiversity, enhance livelihood, attract ecotourism and further earn global recognition for Ogoni Wetlands.The UNEP Report envisages that this would provide the Government with a roadmap for restoration and sustainable management of the Ogoni wetland, bring the site unto international among others.Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, represented by Director Technical Services, Professor Damien-Paul Aguiyi said the project further attests to the Federal government’s commitment through HYPREP to implementing the UNEP Report simultaneously.Nigeria is a signatory to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction(BBNJ) Agreement for how research on marine genetic resources must be conducted and documented, ensuring transparency and the equitable distribution of benefits.
Environment
Tribunal Acknowledges losses in Rare species Across the globe …urges for government Action
It was noted that the choice by the Brazilian government to host COP30 serves as a symbol of the importance of the Amazon. They denounced the current and future impacts of the expansion of the extractivist frontier, deforestation, fossil fuels and large-scale mining. It was urged that the Amazon, with its ecosystems, animal, plant species, and rich biodiversity, natural medicines and its vital and reproductive cycles, should be considered as a subject of rights together with the Indigenous Peoples, and other communities that inhabit it.
The co-president and judge of the tribunal, Nnimmo Bassey, while delivering the verdict, noted that the defence of the rights of Nature is the right way to carry out real climate action and that there is no climate justice without the rights of Nature.
The tribunal stressed the need to phase out fossil fuels and quickly move to renewable energy as a way that protects both communities and ecosystems from false solutions that merely benefit financial speculators and compound climate injustices. The Tribunal also urged the United Nations to adopt the pledge as a blueprint for international environmental law.
A copy of the declaration obtained by The Tide revealed that,Judges at the Tribunal included Ana Alfinito of Brazil, Nnimmo Bassey ( Nigeria), Enrique Viale (Argentina), Shannon Biggs (USA), Casey Camp Horinek (Ponca Nation, USA), Tom Goldtooth (USA), Princes Esmeralda (Belgium), Cormac Cullinan (South Africa), Patricia Gualings (Ecuador), Francesco Martone (Italy) Tzeporah Berman (USA), Ashish Katharine (India), Osprey Orielle Lake (USA), Pooven Moodley (South Africa) and Felicio Pontes (Brazil)
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