RSG responds following outcry from PH residents on health hazard

The Rivers State Government has set up a Task Force to tackle the black soot polluting the atmosphere of Port Harcourt and its environs.

The Task Force is mandated to investigate and resolve the environmental challenge.

This was part of the resolutions of the State Executive Council meeting of Wednesday at the Government House, Port Harcourt Executive Council Chambers chaired by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike .

The Task Force to investigate the Black Soot has the Commissioner of Environment, Professor Roseline Konya, Commissioner of Special Duties, Mr Emeka Onowu and the Commissioner of Information, Dr Austin Tam-George as members.

The committee which will be backed by technical experts will liaise with major stakeholders to resolve the environmental challenges posed by the black soot.

Briefing the media after the Executive Council meeting, Commissioner of Information, Dr Austin Tam-George stated that the resolution was reached after the Commissioner of Environment, Professor Roseline Konya on the preliminary results of its Ministerial Investigation.

Also on Wednesday, the Rivers State Executive Council approved the purchase of hi-tech equipment for the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital at the cost of $10.5million.

The Rivers State Executive Council also resolved to ensure that all the General Hospitals being rehabilitated are duly equipped to create access to quality healthcare for the people.
http://politicsngr.com/river-state-government-sets-task-force-tackle-black-soot/
cc : lalasticlala

Better

After how many months

The black soot fit be source of revenue to the government

To reclaim the gals wey wey loss their skin to bleaching

it could also be medicinal...imaging PMB taking one cup of Black soot recipe, 3 times a day, he go well by force. saving us foreign exchange spent on foreign medical trips

see how the man in d pick below dy healthy...after taking a cup of black soot.

Ok.

They should be fast with it, before it causes something else.

Our health is our wealth!

https://www.nairaland.com/2913203/herbal-tea-secrete-fathers-used in curing PreMAture ExPULsion and E.D

That is the problem with africa!! Poor implementation of safety policies. God help that state in Nigeria that the NUCLEAR ELECTRICITY GENERATION PROJECT is going to be sited. May God just help that state where it will be sited

Government running away from their responsibilities

To arrest the black soot? Can't you stop the illegal refining of crude oil in Rivers?

The soot of a thing stop initially. I got confuse when I saw it back again. Na wa

Pls make haste Environmentalist cos its really a problem for us rivers people,wake up in the morning,deep a finger in ur nose and all u see is sooth stains,u can imagine the co2 we are inhaling,I'm very sure its from all this local refineries we have around our neighborhood,boys they try hustle but men they die from the inhaled toxins.everything in my house including the bath tub are colored black,steady house keeping. May God save us all.

Booked!!

hmmm so fast? hope the news is not from lie mahameds source?

Such a big shame that after 3 months of public outcry its now they are setting up a taskforce.

wonder how much damage that black soot must have done to the citizens.

but the government has been aware of this since December last year. how many people must have suffered fromt his before they are now "setting up" task force... task force that will take another how many months to actually do anything

YOU DONT NEED TO SET UP ANY COMMITTEE IF YOUR MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT IS UP AND DOING..THEY JUST NEED TO CARRY OUT AIR QUALITY TESTING AND IDENTIFY THE GASES THAT CONSTITUTE THE POLLUTION..THE BLACK SHOOT MIGHT HAVE ORIGINALLY COME FROM INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION OF HYDROCARBON MATERIALS..THEY SHOULD CHECK THE ACTIVITIES OF ILLEGAL REFINERY OPERATORS CAREFULLY ..ANYWAY,SOME PEOPLE MUST CHOP THROUGH THIS 'COMMITTEE" THING

Rivers state govt should act as fast as possible as because the state has been covered by black soot.

Incompetence in action.

When the black soot incident started late last year the state government also vowed to investigate. Because it stopped, they also stopped investigation. That was inexcusable and unacceptable.

This type of reactionary measures are the reason why we always seem to be caught napping.

They should beam their light to PHRC's increased production , Indorama's petrochemical and fertilizer plants, and the many illegal refineries and bunkering going on in the creeks of Niger Delta.

Leave your car unwashed just for a day in Port Harcourt and see the way the black soot is deposited on it.

Many children are now suffering cough and catarrh, malaria, and dysentery. Visit any hospital and see the increased number of patients. It is now worrisome.

They better do a proper job oh cos the black soot has increased so much now that an epidemic could be on the horizon

They should blame the "abo.kis" for bringing the black soot from the north - after all Nigeria's problems are caused by the north!!!

residents of pH should endeavour to be using the following: umbrella, face/nose mask, and Google.

It's not just the soot that's the problem in this state. Nonentities, destitutes and a growing number of mad people are casuing environmental concerns in this state. The state is loosing it's "Garden city" status as the beautiful bus stops built some years ago is nothing to write about too. Can this state see beyond APC , PDP, rerun election,bribery and make it Rivers State to behold, one it used to be.

Okay. Hope they do a thorough job.

Very annoying soot.
We can't even leave our windows open

Please give them ultimatum of 2weeks to locate the source. It's getting scary by the day.

Good ideas. Not what we have at federal with nothing but blaming GEJ didn't swept all the corners in ASO ROCK.

Team #holdyourgovernmentaccountable

Most likely source of this black soot is Indorama Petro-chemical plant at Eleme

i pray they do a good job if not soon cancer.

The good thing is that the governor, the committee member and their families are also breathing this horrible air. Very annoying and this things should not happen in this century when we have ministry of environment. Please save money by scrapping that ministry in River state

Governor Wike, please come to our rescue as this is already a serious problem.
Asthma attacks, headaches, skin irritations, eye complaints, cough, cold, catarrh and sore throat has already increased significantly. This is the short term effect.

The impact on the health of children will be terrible within a few months and in the long run it will be disastrous. The risk of respiratory infections and cancer are extremely high. The effect on ones health is worst that smoking.

All the people within port-Harcourt are at risk. Please intervene urgently!!!

God bless Wike! God bless Rivers state!! and God bless Nigeria!!!

What happen to last 'November 2016 committee'?

It's unbearable.
Have you also noticed the terrible chemical smell at about 3:30 - 4:30am some early mornings?
Channel iwitness is the best platform to inform the necessary responsible bodies.
We need help!