By Chijioke Iremeka
The Nigerian Thoracic Society and respiratory experts have called government at all levels to show strong political will in dealing with the causes of soot in Nigeria, especially in Rivers State, where soot is currently taking its toll on the health of the residents.
The experts, who spoke with nigeriacurrently.com Healthwise in a separate interview, said soot does a lot of damage to the human respiratory health.
They urged the government to deal with the major source of the soot in the region and the activities of illegal refineries.
According to the NTS, soot is a black carbonaceous substance produced during incomplete combustion of coal, wood, and oil among others, rising in fine particles that adhere to and blacken surfaces on contact, which causes lung diseases and infections.
The President, NTS, Professor Udegbunam Ele, said soot in the Niger Delta has become a hydra-headed monster, which the government at all levels must develop a political will to put an end to.
Ele, who is also a professor of Medicine and Consultant Pulmonologist at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, said in dealing with the soot in the Rivers State, the government will first of all deal with the sources of the soot and the pollutants die a natural death.
“The major source of the soot in the region is the activities of illegal refineries in the state and the governments are aware of this because it is not hidden. The former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike tried in this aspect to stop the activities. He is commendable on this, yet there is the need for more actions from the current government,” the Pulmonologist added.
Also speaking, a Consultant Pulmonologist at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Oshogbo, Nigeria, Dr. Obiona Adeyemi said that the government needs a strong will to be able to tackle the soot crisis over there.
Adeyemi, who is also the Secretary General, NTS, implored the new government in place to continue from where Wike stopped to save the lives of innocent Nigerians, who are exposed to lung infections daily due to the soot.
He noted that soot is dangerous and has a long-term negative impact on the lungs, saying that the government at all levels needs to create jobs for the unemployed population of the youth in Nigeria, especially in the region to discourage bunkering and illegal refineries.
He said, “Though you may not rule out the point that some people with criminal tendencies may still want to carry on with their criminalities even after providing a job for them, the job opportunity would have solved the majority of the problems when created.
“This is because those who were in the business due to lack of jobs in the country will find better and neater jobs to do and quit the illegal refinery business. The pollutant from soot does a lot of damage to the lungs and respiratory airways, causing lung infections including cancers.
“If the government will develop the willpower to step on toes to stop the illegal refineries and mining activities in the region, many lives would have been saved. There is no refinery in the Niger Delta that may cause the soot if not the illegal refineries.
“So, the government knows where the soot is coming from and they can decide to stop it in order to save the lives of the people or continue to allow it so that more lives would be lost to lung diseases in the region. I advise that the government should go all out against the illegal refinery to ensure that this stops.”
Adeyemi added that soot in its entirety is bad for humans, saying that it affects people’s vision especially while driving on the road, leading to road traffic, accidents and deaths.
“The small particles of these black pollutants while in the air form fog-like mists that do not allow drivers to see clearly while driving. It will make them drive slowly; causing traffic and could lead to road accidents. It is really not healthy for the masses and the environment, the reason we must end it,” he added.
However, the NTS, recommended a stop to all gas flaring in Port Harcourt and do the same in any other place where gas flaring is going on in Nigeria, calling on the relevant government agencies to locate and completely shut down all illegal refineries.
The society urged the government to provide, modify or improve other possible sources of air pollution such as reducing traffic congestion and using cleaner sources of household cooking fuel.
“Some stakeholders have recognised poverty and unemployment as contributors to illegal crude refining which can be ameliorated by improving youth employment in the affected areas,” NTS added.
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