Environment
Sooth And Our Health
In the last five years, the media both within Rivers State and Outside has been inaundated with reports of the presence of a particulate black substance in the atmosphere of Rivers State and others in the Niger Delta.
Rivers State Government responded with the constitution of a technical committee which has since submitted it report.
Accusing fingers are being pointed at the proliferations of illegal oil refineries popularly known as “Kpofire”.
Environmental experts have also accused the military of contributing to the soot through the destructions of illegal oil vessels thereby spilling the contents into the environment.
They also urged for a halt to gas flaring and burning of tyres.
Meanwhile Health Experts also commented on health implications of the sooth.
They listed some of the health challenges to include: cancer, kidney failures, cardiac arrest and others.
Meanwhile, the Director Health Of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) Dr. Nnimmo Bassey has called for the declaration of a state of health emergencies in Rivers State and other States in the Niger Delta Region.
Bassey who said this while reacting to the outcry against the black sooth in a Radio interview in Port Harcourt described the sooth as dangerous to the health of the people.
He said the black substance has adverse effect on human lives adding that illness such as, bronchitis, cancer, kidney failures and others are traceable to the burning of fosil fuel.
The Environmental Expert said apart from the calls for a halt to the proliferations of illegal refineries popularly known as “Kpofire” other activities such as gas flaming, burning of tyres and burning of illegal crude oil barges by the military must be stopped.
He regreted that those being affected by the problems are the poor villagers who have nothing to do with Kpofire business.
The environmentalist who attributed the influx of youths into the illegal refinery business stressed the need for the government to provide job opportunities for youths in the region.
He argued that aside from the provision of job opportunities government at all level have responsibility to provide a safe environment for the citizens to live.
Bassey said it is also the responsibility of government to educate the citizens to know that those who indulged in Kpofire business cannot live long.
He also called on members of community Development committees (CDCS) of the various communities to call their youths to order.
By: John Bibor & Oribim Ibama
President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs Margaret Oguntala, has inaugurated the construction of 18 units residential terrace in highbrow Alausa area of Lagos toward bridging the nation’s shelter gap.
Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has launched the 1GOV Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to enhance digital governance and improve service delivery.
The launch, held on Thursday in Abuja, marks the ministry’s transition from paper-based operations to a smart, integrated and technology-driven work environment.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said the deployment aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Utsev said the system would improve data management, streamline workflows and strengthen transparency and accountability across the ministry.
According to him, the ECMS will enhance productivity, preserve institutional memory and reduce operational costs in the ministry.
Launching the platform, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said the initiative is a major step in public sector reform.
She said the ministry’s mandate affects Nigerians through water supply, sanitation, irrigation, river basin development and climate resilience programmes.
Walson-Jack said the 1GOV ECMS enables secure digital records management, automated workflows, electronic approvals and real-time collaboration across MDAs.
She added that the deployment aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 and the directive for full digitalisation by December 2025.
“Effective governance cannot afford delays caused by manual bottlenecks or avoidable inefficiencies,” she said.
She directed that all official correspondence in the ministry must henceforth be processed through approved digital registry channels.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Emanso Umobong, said the system would eliminate workflow inefficiencies and improve service delivery.
She urged staff to fully adopt the platform and engage in continuous capacity building.
Research shows that local communities and citizens living at the grassroots, particularly women, are directly impacted by the environmental degradation, flooding and others that result from these manifestations.
In the light of this, non-governmental organisation, Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development (EUFORDe), has held a forum for women and other members of oil impacted communities, tagged: ‘Voices from the Grassroots,’ and aimed at building their resilience and mitigation efforts against climate change and environmental degradation
The forum, with the theme: ‘Building Resilience for Oil Spill Impacted Ahoada Communities,’ organised with support from Global Green Grants, was held in Ahoada Community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, on December 5, 2025.
Executive Director of Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development, Mercy Elemchukwu-James, said women are at the forefront of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change and environmental degradation.
The event, therefore, was “designed for community women impacted by oil spills, flooding and other environmental degradation,” she said.
Community women were enlightened by resource persons on new opportunities for sustainable agricultural practices and water management techniques that cushion the impact of oil spills.
Lectures were also delivered on Self-care and Trauma-care, with focus on physical and mental health of the population, and increasing access to health-related resources and services; as well as on Food security and women’s critical role in decision making in oil spill and flood situations in communities
Elemchukwu-James pointed out that the event created a forum for stakeholders, civil society actors and others to dialogue on measures at advancing inclusive and sustainable livelihoods of community women.
She stressed the need for collaborative efforts towards achieving mitigation efforts, while underscoring EUFORDe’s commitment to “fostering partnerships as a critical driver for achieving a healthy community and sustainable development.”
Elemchukwu-James described participants’ design of ‘Community Resilience Plan,’ to manage and combat environmental degradation and crises, as part of achievements recorded at the event.
The forum also witnessed the launching of EUFORDs’ Center For Resilience and Rights.
“This center is established to build resilience as Trauma-Care for victims of environmental degradation, support for survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and a platform where victims of environmental injustice and other GBV cases can seek redress,” Elemchukwu-James said.
Participants celebrated the milestones achieved and charted a path toward greater impact in the coming years. They also described the event as “an inspiring and transformative experience.”
Elemchukwu-James said the awareness creation workshop “reaffirms EUFORDe’s mission to create an equitable society in which the rights and capacities of women, youth, children and underprivileged are integrated in the socio-economic planning and development of communities, for the attainment of equity and peace.