Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Eco has warned that long term exposure to hydrocarbon soot could lead to cancer, sterility in men, infertility in women and other critical health issues including premature death.
An expert and medical doctor, Dr Bienye Briggs, at the #StopTheSootConference organised by the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, said residents of the state need to be aware of the implications of soot to their health.
Briggs warned that continuous exposure to soot can lead to preterm deliveries, low birth weight and confusion, as the brain instead of taking oxygen, was taking in soot which will cause a malfunction in the brain.
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental or social wellbeing. With the daily exposure of people to soot, fine particulate matter from incomplete combustion, in the long run many are at the risk of respiratory diseases.
“Acute respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, skin irritation, acute bronchial asthma both genetic and non-genetic, constriction of the airways. Worse of a high-level infertility in men and women.”
The Physician harped on the need for a solution that would wholistically address the problem of soot in the atmosphere.
He lamented that the government over the years have kept extending the deadline to end gas flaring.
“From research, there are two major actors in the production of soot in Port Harcourt. The first is gas flaring and the second one is artisanal refineries.
“Gas flaring has been there since the 1960s. Artisanal refineries are less than 15years in Nigeria. Why are we not talking about that havoc caused by gas flaring? The oil multinationals are also culpable, and we must call them to account.
“As a way to improve the impending danger, the remediation of the environment needs to be done.
“If we must have the attention of the refiners, we should stop criminalizing the artisanal refiners and source ways to train them to be able to do their refining to help our health situation.
“Provision of specialized health facilities to cater for the health needs of the people.”
