Soot: Why Rivers People Must Support Gov Wike, Sir Allwell Ihunda, Hope Ikiriko, Others, In The Fight Against Soot
Dez Mayorz.
The Rivers State governor, His Excellency, Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike has identified the cause of soot in Rivers State which is causing breathing difficulties and slowly killing the residents in Rivers State.
The source of the soot is illegal refining and artisan refinery, and the state governor has declared a full war to stop the menace. No one should play politics with this menace because health is wealth and health comes first.
The state governor, Gov Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, Port Harcourt Mayor, Sir Allwell Ihunda, Ahoada West LGA chairman, Hon. Hope Ikiriko, among others are in forefront of this survival war and all have to support them and fight for survival and that of the children.
It’s not an easy war, as it’s crystal clear that some security agencies, traditional rulers and kingpins are all in this; and they must be defeated.
Soot is now a rising health hazard in Rivers State as a result of the incomplete combustion of fueled carbon by illegal refineries in Rivers State called ‘bunkery business’.
The deadly pollution significantly started in 2016 when the skyline in several parts of the city was covered with dark particulate matters.
Lagos and other states are also suffering from the same irk but Rivers State is on the high side. 14 out of the 23 LGA in Rivers State people involved in bunkery business.
Dez Mayorz Media earlier reported that 20% of the Port Harcourt residents are suffering already from the effects of the black soot from refineries, illegal refiners, setting ablaze of illegally refined petroleum products by the military, tyre burning, gas flaring, meat roasting with used tyres, asphalt plants, refuse burning, fertiliser companies and others.
Rivers State Government also had a reviewed report of a technical team set up by the Rivers State Government and headed by the state’s former Commissioner for Environment, Prof. Roseline Konya, report revealed that about 22,077 persons have suffered from respiratory related ailments in the last five years.
The number is believed to have risen to 65,000 in December 27th, 2021 of people suffering from soot related conditions found in respect to adverse respiratory, skin and reproductive conditions related to black soot.
The report noted that the persons who received the health care include women, men and children.
In Rivers State, black soot perceived to be more dangerous than Coronavirus.
The risk of analysed pollutant samples of the black soot, is a heavy metals concentrate found in the soot and measures in the study showed that thousands of people in the state are expected to suffer cancerous and non-cancerous diseases from the soot in the atmosphere.
The predictions by many health professionals are that many residents are already experiencing chronic respiratory diseases, heart problems in the early stages, yellowish urine in major cases, which will increase mortality rate.
This is becoming real as some persons, who have found it very difficult breathing while in Port Harcourt, have relocated to other places.
Health experts refers the significant yellowish color changes in the color of your urine not to be malaria related but could be a sign of troubles with kidney, liver, or bladder function, as a result of the respiratory damages the black soot is causing.
It can still be savaged. The Federal Government needs to come in and work with the state government to stop the soot.
The masses in Rivers State also have a role to play to curb the effects by joining war in the following ways:
– Support your councillors and LGA chairmen as they to end this.
– Use M95, a nose mask that filters the air if you can, until the soot reduce. It will some time to stop.
This mask, it was gathered, is very expensive and has a lifespan of 30 days. It is ascertained the mask can curb the spread of COVID-19 virus aswell as filter the polluted air.
Poor people can not afford it. So it’s advisable they wear mask as frequent as possible.
– Identity illegal refining sites in your area and report to the LGA near to you.
– Raise your voice and media campaign for fast implementation and construction of modular refineries.
– Stop early morning and evening jogging exercise for now, because black soot settle more during this period. Close doors and windows always.
– Those involve in this menace should think twice and shutdown the illegal refineries completely without waiting for the government to do it until modular refineries are built.
– Don’t politcise the fight against soot. Soot effects is a respecter of no one nor political parties.
– Bloggers, influencers and celebrities should intensify efforts to create awareness even to international communities to force a quick response to the menace.
–If it’s too much on you, relocate from Port Harcourt if you can not breath well. Go to safer villages and stay.
Together, victory is sure.
Okoye Chidiebele Stephens,
Dez Mayorz Report.
19/01/2022