Yenagoa—A senior Registrar at the Department of Public Health in the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Yenagoa, Dr. Inenyo Esinte has lamented the atmospheric pollution in Yenagoa and its environs caused by soot.
Esinte, who expressed his concern about the air pollution in the state capital through a statement sent to Mangrovepen.ng, bemoaned that he woke up to a pervasive soot smell on Sunday morning just like he has observed in other previous days.
He noted that the soot in Yenagoa and other parts of the Niger Delta is majorly caused by the illegal refining of crude resources, adding that the soot pollution has an adverse environmental, economic, health and social effect.
Esinte who doubles as the Secretary, Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN) Bayelsa State Chapter advised that all relevant bodies, stakeholders and government should liaise to bring about a solution to what he called an epidemic.
According go his statement, “I woke up this 19th day of December, 2021 and was greeted good morning by the sight and smell of hydrocarbon and black soot air pollution like several other days in the recent past in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, South South Nigeria.
“We are all aware and have knowledge of the major and commonest sources of hydrocarbon air pollution in our environment, particularly the Niger Delta region, is oil and gas exploratory activities, especially artisan petroleum refining activities synonymously dubbed crude oil bunkering, “kpo fire” refining activities.
“While artisan petroleum refining plays critical role in bridging the gap in energy demand, the health, environmental and social consequences of artisan petroleum refining must be taken seriously and seen as a topmost priority for the safety of humans and the environment.
“The health, environmental, economic and social effects of hydrocarbon and black soot air pollution included the following; Respiratory tract irritation, allergies (cough, catarrh, tearing), irritation of the eyes, irritation of the skin, exacerbation of asthma, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease (COPD)
“Economic effects include: diversion of household income meant for other domestic issues to fund health problems resulting from black soot.
Loss of man power and man hour to hydrocarbon and black soot air pollution related illnesses and subsequent loss of productive workforce to such health conditions.
“Social effects include: black soot air pollution induced annoyance and attendant social unrest.
“The time to act is now, let’s walk the talk now and save our children, our future and our environment from this man-made disaster, let’s not roll the ball down the hill to our children, we created it and we must fix it.
“We cannot afford to fail our children and future generations on this, sustainable development is the way to go and the global best practice.”
The health practitioner called on groups like the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA, Bayelsa State Branch), Bayelsa State annex, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Public Health Physicians of Nigeria and nongovernmental organizations to advocate and engage government at all levels to tackle the problem.
He equally called on the federal government and lawmakers to hasten up plans to set up modular refineries in the region and engage the artisan refiners to curb oil bunkering and by extension the soot pollution.
“I also urge the Bayelsa state government to engage all relevant stakeholders at the state and federal levels to urgently tackle this problem.
“I call on the federal government of Nigeria and relevant federal ministries and agencies to expedite actions in proffering solution to this menace.
“I urge and call on the federal ministry of petroleum resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to expedite action on the establishment of modular refineries in the Niger Delta.
“And productively engage and employ the crude oil refining skills of artisan petroleum refiners in clean and environmentally friendly modular refining methods, techniques and technology through public private partnership arrangements,” he stated.
