Group Wants Health Professionals In EIAs’ Implementation

Anon-governmental Organisation known as Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has identified lack of involvement of health professionals as factors affecting the smooth implementation of Environmental Impact Assessment policies in the country.
Executive Director of the organisation, Mallam Ibrahim Auwal disclosed this while speaking with The Tide at the weekend in Port Harcourt,shortly after an event.
He said; “Each year, hundreds of post -impact assessment (PIA) studies are conducted to assess the impact of the hazards generated by the oil industry on the physical and social environment and on human health, but, most of these studies are conducted without any significant contributions from health professionals and are reported without highlighting the immediate and long term implications of the identified hazards on the health of members of the impacted communities.”
He said that the attention of the United Nations Environmental Project (UNEP) was drawn to this omission in the Ogoni environmental impact assessment report and it was likely to continue as the technical review of the impact assessment report carried out by the Federal Ministry of Environment did not include health professionals.
According to the body, the oil spills in the Niger Delta which are mostly caused by oil exploratory activities led to 60 percent reduction in household food security and reduced the ascorbic acid content of vegetables by as much as 36 percent and the crude protein content of cassava by. 40percent, which it said, could result in a 24 percent increase in the prevalence of childhood malnutrition.
“Evidence continues to accumulate suggesting that environmental exposures adversely impact human reproductive function. Chemical exposures in the work place, homes, farms and ambient environment have demonstrated effects on women’s reproductive health and concerns have been raised about a broad spectrum of factors that affects women health including social, biological and physical environment, Auwal.
He recommended effective environmental governance in the Niger Delta, stating that it is only through such process that laws, policies and procedures would be implemented to achieve a healthy and sustainable environment in the region.
“It is through good environmental governance that the key stakeholders (government, oil companies, local communities) will be able to perform their roles to ensure a healthy and sustainable environment, it is through good governance that we will be able to eliminate conflict and environmental entrepreneurs who feed on the crisis in the Niger Delta.”
The Executive Director urged the Federal Government and all the stakeholders involved in the Ogoni clean up exercise to be committed to the process.

Taneh Beemene