Nation
Styrofoam Not Good For Environment, Human Health-Environmentalists
Environmental experts have appealed to states and Federal Governments to ban the use of styrofoam containers in Nigeria, saying it causes havoc to the environment and human health.
They made the appeal in separate interviews with The Tide’s source, weekend, in Lagos.
Styrofoam is a kind of expanded polystyrene used especially for making food containers.
They urged the three tiers of governments to ban the usage of styrofoam containers in the country because chemicals can leach into them and contaminate food, affecting human health and reproductive systems.
An environmentalist, Mr Alexgreat Akhigbe, the founder of African Cleanup Initiative, said styrofoam is causing huge havoc to human health and pollution to the environment.
Akhigbe said the major problem of styrofoam is that no one had been able to pick up the used ones for recycling to other items.
He added that styrofoam had not been getting any attention from people because it does not really have a recycle value.
“I think for now, some cement companies have been able to collect this kind of waste together and others that are not recyclable so they can use for production.
“Apart from these companies, we don’t have any recycler that will take the waste, that is why we have them littered all around,” he said.
“The country does not have policies on the ground to check this menace.
“For instance, if I were to be in government, I will have a conversation with those people producing this styrofoam, tell them to have a plan of recovering the waste product from the street.
“They cannot come and dump waste into the society with the aim of making money.
“So, they should have a plan of sustainability when it comes to recovering this waste from the society,” he said, pleading with the governments to check the menace.
Another environmentalist, Mr Emmanuel Emechete, told the source that the styrofoam containers used by food vendors had little or no recycle value.
“If it can be banned, it will be more helpful because it ends up causing havoc to the environment. It gets littered in the gutters thereby causing blockage.
“Yes, we know it is very cheap and due to the economic situation in the country, people prefer to use it but apart from causing environmental hazards, it also has health implications on humans.
“Chemically, they are harmful because it contains chemicals that are not good for the body.
“For instance, when you put a hot soup in a styrofoam, you will discover that some part of the styrofoam is already melting into your soup because it is very light.
“All these chemicals affect the lungs and kidneys,” he said.
He called on the government to ensure the circulation of the stytofoam is minimal to avoid more environmental and health hazard.
Some users of the styrofoam told the source that it was in circulation because of high demand and cost implication.
A food seller, Mrs Kudirat Olawunmu, who spoke with the source, said people prefer to buy thier food in the styrofoam because it is cheap.
“If I get the other plastic plates, people won’t buy it because it is expensive,” she said.
Another food vendor, Miss Kadijat Ibrahim, said she does not use any other take away pack than the styrofoam.
“Although I know this styrofoam is always littered everywhere even in the gutters too after use but there is nothing we can do about it,” she said.
Another food vendor, Mr Shola Asumo, when asked why he preferred to use the styrofoam than any other take away plate, he said he used them due to popular demand.
“When I ask my customers which takeaway plate they want, most of them prefer to go with the styrofoam because it’s cheaper.
“I also have the other takeaway plates but it is only few people that request for them,” he said.
Another food vendor, Micheal Onyebuchi, while speaking with NAN, said that the stytofoam is easy to handle, light and cheap, adding that he can not use any other take away pack.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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