By Adedapo Adesanya
The Rivers State Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike has pointed accusatory fingers at the federal government for its inaction towards the hydrocarbon soot bedevilling the state caused by the illegal activities of artisanal refiners.
Governor Wike during a state-wide broadcast to mark the new year said the central government, despite all efforts by the state to draw their attention to the menace, has refused to intervene on the issue.
He assured that his administration has been overly concerned over the black soot environmental disaster that has continued to affect Port Harcourt residents.
“As a state government, we have drawn the attention of the federal government to this problem and requested for its intervention to stop the activities of illegal bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners, which have been identified as the main sources of the soot pandemic.
“Unfortunately, the federal government has remained inexplicably silent over our request and even complicit to a large extent with the security agencies actively aiding, encouraging and protecting the artisanal refiners to continue with their harmful activities unabated.
“We have equally appealed without success to our people engaging in this illegal business to consider its negative effects on our economy, environment, public safety and public health and disengage from it.
“We will continue to engage and plead with the Federal Government to intervene and save our people from this serious environmental and health emergency,” the Governor said.
However, Mr Wike said since the federal security agencies have refused to stop the illegal crude oil refining activities in the state, his administration will take necessary measures to tackle the soot menace, which he said was a direct challenge to everyone’s collective health and survival.
“Consequently, I have directed the Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites along Creek road and adjourning areas of the city and shut them down with immediate effect.
“Furthermore, all Local Government Chairmen are directed to work with community leaders to locate and identify those behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities and report to my office for further action.”
The Governor also expressed his sympathy to the victims of the recent fire incidences caused by activities of illegal oil bunkering in the State, especially those who lost loved ones and valuable property.
“As a government, we will continue to do our best to strengthen the State Fire Service to effectively intervene to mitigate the damage during fire incidents.
“However, members of the public also have the responsibility to do the right thing to prevent or avoid some of these fire incidents from happening and those who deliberately bury fuel and gas tanks in residential areas are certainly not doing the right thing, and should therefore relocate their precarious businesses to more convenient and less risky places,” he stated.
Business Post gathered that the prevalence of pollution and the inhalation of carcinogens due to black soot prevalence have surged among residents and has led to increasing respiratory-related diseases within the last six years.
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