Daniel Efe/Port Harcourt
Concerned citizens who are worried about the pollution of the atmosphere in Rivers state are gearing up to start public peaceful protest today, Thursday, to draw the attention of both the state and federal governments to the health hazards caused by the soot.
Information available to our Correspondent reveal that the peaceful protest will start from Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt at 8 am. Interested protesters have been advised to wear face masks and black and white attire.
Since 2016, tiny black particles known as soot have been dropping from the sky. Medical Doctors have warned that the soot is hazardous to human health as people are already being admitted in the hospital over respiratory and heart diseases.
In his reaction to planned protest a against the Soot pollution, Governor Nyesom Wike has advised the planned protesters to direct their protest against the federal government which are in control of the Security agents that are indiscriminately destroying illegal refineries and illegal oil bunkering in the state thereby emitting soot into the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, organizers have warned volunteers not to put on vests castigating companies, political parties and government agencies.
In a related development, a team of experts from United Nations Environmental of Programme, UNEP, and World Health Organization, WHO, are in Port Harcourt to assess the level of pollution of the atmosphere that is generating soot.
They have held meetings with the state Commissioner for Environment, Prof Mrs. Roseline Konya, who has expressed optimism that arrival of the experts will get to root of the Soot problem and other pollution in the state.
