PORT HARCOURT SOOT: HOW SCIENTISTS BATTLE ATMOSPHERIC SOOT IN THE 1980s

DOM ZIMEGAPI

There has been much outcry about the emergence of atmospheric soot in the city of Port Harcourt and its environs in Rivers state. About 3 to 4 years ago residents of the city and outer towns such as Eleme, Emohua and Ikwerre local Government areas were curious with the presence of black particles spreading both outside and inside of the homes and offices. www.towncrier.ng took out time to bring to you an overview about this disturbing phenomenon called atmospheric soot. From its surface understanding, soot traps heat in the atmosphere just like Carbon dioxide quite unlike carbon dioxide Soot particles being heavier stays near to its source as it returns 7-days after its emission into the atmosphere the reason being that it is low hanging and it is a worrisome problem for global warming.

For environmentalists, the first step to stop the atmospheric soot is to find out the nature of the soot particles using an instrument called aethalometer. This is a tube that catches outside air as it sends it to the instrument’s main box in its location in the device as the air passes through a particle catching filter. From here scientists find out that  the device  shines light of different wavelengths through the filter and a sensor and processor analyses how the particles block light. In this way, this reveals their concentration and their origin whether they come from fossil fuel burning or from wood fire within the environment.

In Rivers state where there has been exploration and exploitation of crude oil since over 50-years with its environmental degradation of which the atmospheric soot is an outcome of the fossil fuel processing. Today, experts in environmental management and Physicians do attribute the increased atmospheric soot to the illegal crude oil refining by unlicensed operators who engage in incomplete burning of crude oil in the refining process which sends out by-products like the black soot particles being observed in the Port Harcourt City.

www.towncrier.ng herein bring to you interview it had exclusively with Dr. Victor Nnanna onyekwere a retired Director in Public Health from Rivers state Government and a former Provost Rivers State college of Health Science and Technology Port Harcourt as stated below.

He told www.towncrier.ng  about his previous work experience “Yes, I did head Rivers State College of Health, Science and Technology for about 7-years.”

While answering question about his background in given the above background one will say that you know much about Public Health, do you sir….He said “Yes, that is my training.”

 Now we have in Port Harcourt the pending Atmospheric Soot that is disturbing the entire populace, at what time did you notice this atmospheric Soot in Port Harcourt?

“It is about 2 to 3 years ago few  persons started complaining from some environs about Port Harcourt about the atmospheric Soot but it wasn’t wide spread as it was then around Abuloma axis . But gradually it became a common thing mostly around Port Harcourt. So by the last 2 to 3-years it was almost common everywhere in Port Harcourt. And unfortunately rather than abetting it is worsening this is because every day it is beginning to show that it is increasing in appearance rather than going down. So, about 2 to 3 years ago it became a problem around Port Harcourt.”

Can you give us historic background about this crude oil exploration and exploitation in Niger Delta ?

“Well the Fossil oil which is of organic base the hydrocarbons I will like to call is a blessing for us in this part of the world and not only us places like United States of America, Russia and many other parts of the world they also have this and that is why we call it blessing which by God’s divine directive man was able to turn it into Fuel that we are able to use to fly our planes, ride our cars, Cook in the house and the gas that we are able to use not only to cook  in our houses  but to generate electricity that is making the world a better place. For most part of the world where these are available the people turn them around to use the money to also develop those areas and continuously find a way such that whatever activities  that come from that will not become detrimental to  the health of the people where this oil is found. Unlike our case that wasn’t the case with the rest of the world rather than better our lots mostly since oil was found their lots became worst than those areas where oil was not found. If you visit Olobiri where the first oil well was found you won’t believe that, that is where it all started from. If you visit communities around our areas like Ikwerre areas, Kalabari axis, Ogoni axis and everywhere that oil is being explored and exploited, you won’t believe that , that is where the oil is coming from  this is because what you will find is devastating soot, the forest areas are devastated, green leaves have turned brown almost turning black, the mangrove trees are gone .the grasses are gone and Our Rivers and fishes are gone. So you can find out that rather than better our lots we have rather turn to a people who are suffering unaccountable. What is even most worrisome is the social unrest that came with this crude oil thing. Rather than help our youths and other people to develop they rather turned it into divide and rule where we now kill ourselves while the operators of  these ventures  cart the money and go away while we keep killing ourselves  over paltry sums of money that they drop for us just to cause confusion among us.”

 Since over 50-years that crude oil exploitation and exploration has been in operation have there been cases of this atmospheric Soot in the Niger Delta region?

“It has been there but not at this magnitude we are seeing it now. Why I can say that with boldness is because unlike most other places in the advanced world where crude oil is explored and managed they no longer have gas flaring but here we still have gas flaring which by right if we as a country decide that that will stop the operators will sign in if they don’t flare gas in United states of America-USA it means the technology to stop gas flaring is available and it is a question of us putting our feet down and that same thing applies. It has been there but because the magnitude is small it is not wide spread and it goes into atmosphere somehow the atmosphere was able to absorb it so, it no longer became a big issue. But in recent time this had become an issue meaning that  gas flaring and those activities have been on all these years  and cannot adequately account for the level we are seeing it now. Unless we see that so much has gone wrong in the operations of things that were there all these years. But I did not believe that it will go wrong to this level to account for what we are experiencing now.”

 Let’s get your personal experiences now as a resident of Port Harcourt city, how have you encountered atmospheric soot within your immediate environment say household?

“I must confess to you it has been a very terrible experience as I practically wash my hands about twenty times a day this is because everything you touch has soot, your clothes that you touch is stained, your bed is stained, every surface including your tables are stained and your plates are stained. If you want to wash your clothes and you want to use it you have to wash it again to be able to use it. If you open your windows like this floor tiles as every 3 to 4 days you have to mop it and mopping it with ordinary water  doesn’t work in  here as you must use bleach and detergent Soap because of the grease content of the soot particles. Beyond that the Air Conditioners we use even to solve that it filters everything turns black as within a couple of weeks you need to clean it again. That has been our experiences. Luckily for e and my household we don’t have anybody who has respiratory problem like Asthma. So, we are not seeing the immediate effect of the soot but I can talk about a friend who called some other time that his wife had to leave Port Harcourt to Calabar Cross River state because the atmosphere was very unbearable and her health was failing her and she was always having attack of the respiratory problem. So, they advised her to leave this environment for some time. She has this allergic reaction that soot always elicit that for her so, she has to leave as she has other complications  as she has been on immune-suppressive drugs because of the cancer she is treating. So that has been an issue and she found out that with this soot her health has been something else. And since she went to Calabar she has been calm as all those things have not been issues again. It has been a terrible experience.”

 Can you also confirm whether this atmospheric Soot will cause imbalance in the human Immune system?

“Well, the immune system generally reacts to the intrusion of foreign bodies as it could be organism or it could be inanimate substances as the immune system has a way of reacting to any introduction of any foreign element or body into the human system. So, with this atmospheric soot coming in I hope there will be some reaction but the reaction will depend on the content of the soot if it is like bacteria content the body will react along the infection line reaction. If it is a non living body, the body reacts accordingly. So, the body reacts equal ways to the same principles of handling foreign bodies accordingly. Obviously the body is reacting to the soot that we continually inhale causing imbalance in our system such that for today we are okay, no problem but we don’t know what will be our fate in the years to come.”

 When you were in Government in Rivers state, tell us some efforts Government made to identify the causes and origin of this atmospheric Soot?

“Like any scientist when you have something that is strange, that is strange element the first thing you do is to ask, what is this and what is this soot? We were able to identify that the soot is of hydrocarbon base, meaning that it has to do with crude oil related activities …this fossil oil, hydrocarbon crude oil and other oil related base. That was a very good point for us this is because  if that is the source it means that searching for where it is coming from we will direct  us to the activities of  crude oil related Organizations . So the search went to those oil related organizations, so all the big oil operators were invited and Government talked to them. And we are like are you the ones doing this? Is there any change in the way you have been operating that will cause this? They too were baffled and surprise about what we have been noticing. But there were no substantial changes in the activities that account for that level of Soot we were seeing. I remember interacting with some of the Oil majors and they too were taking atmospheric measurement of that every day and giving alert to their workers and the search continued. Are there new Oil operators in our system? Our search went on to those illegal oil operators who were now all over the place refining, of course theirs can never be a perfect system of refining crude as it is crude way of burning obviously that will bring about a lot of not fully combusted material particles into the air . We looked at the abattoirs…these ones that use tires to burn meat in our environment. We looked at firewood, was there an increase in the use of firewood. We looked at road tars those who are doing roads and there were not an increase in Road activities going on at that particular time although at that point there was this Lebanese Company along New AirPort road that was involved in Coal tars business and they were stopped. Then the search was like everywhere it could come from. Then if you look at firewood we have been using firewood all these time from time immemorial so, firewood couldn’t account for this sudden increase. If you look at the abattoirs, yes there has been increase in the number of abattoirs; yes there is increase in the use of tires but it is not new, so could it account for this? Or is it that there is sudden increase in the number of cows slaughtered everyday to now say that have tripled or quadrupled the number  such that more tires are been burnt daily. These are all permutations that people are looking at. However efforts were made to stop the use of tires, because we engaged the abattoirs that are those met sellers and all that. They even showed us …and we helped them to acquire new technology in meat preparation and processing   which they started using on their own promising to stop the tire burning thing. Those efforts were made. But there was one particular effort we found in that is in use they call it “Gboo Fire” that is illegal refineries was one big issue. That was one major problem. The second problem was at that time the way the law enforcement agencies went about their businesses as at that time if they find an illegal refinery they burnt everything thereby increasing the quantity of atmospheric soot. We engaged them saying “Why are you doing this way is there no other way and they explained?” yes, they know that that is not the best so, they had stopped. What they now do is that anywhere they find illegal refineries they will ask the Port Harcourt refinery at Elesa Eleme to come and take those crude oil products and re-channel it into the normal system and refine.  They created “Safe Collecting Points” from Enugu to Port Harcourt and all that. But along the line they found out that NNPC couldn’t cope with the quantity of crude petroleum that was coming back. The quantity was more than their reserve. And the enforcement agents didn’t have any reserve so, there were confusion now about what do we do next? In their own way too they went to the next stage of using Swan-burke Dredger machines they use it to crush those containers after discharging the content into ocean going Oil Barges. The barges will store these products while they now crush the containers hoping that the people will not be able to bring it back to use. We physically went to them to see it in action. All was in the bid not to burn and increase flaring. But there was one part that has not been properly addressed and that is the issue of illegal refineries. We think that that might be the major source of this problem. Now there is an economic dynamics that most of the operators of these, at the lower level that is the people you see in the field are those who are like moved away from militancy and crimes. Some have education and some don’t have and they went into that business. I remember talking to one of them who said “You said we shouldn’t steal again, you said we shouldn’t do militancy, you said we shouldn’t do armed robbery, we have left all that now and gone into ‘genuine business’ of refining crude oil products and you are now telling us not to refine, if we leave this one we will go back to the old business of stealing, Militancy and armed robbery. So, you see the dynamics of you now balancing that. So, if you must take them off you must provide alternatives. Secondly, what we see in the field are just small operators. We think that there are bigger operators who are funding it who are “untouchable “or not known because these small ones do not have all the resources to do all that business. So, it is like some persons bigger who own ocean going barges are there who empty the products and know what to do with them. Thirdly if they don’t have buyers they wouldn’t be into this business…meaning that they have buyers. And buyers are not like you and I who buy for household uses. These must be people who have bigger outlets for marketing…which means that there is an already market for that business. Then fourthly these things are transported there are a lot of Checking Points as the unfinished cooked products are transported within here. And there are security agencies on the roads. How come these things are easily pass and still get to source where they are marketed…which means there also something are going on. Then lastly these illegal operators do not buy crude oil as they just burst the pipelines and collect and steal the crude. So, if you collect the crude and they don’t pay anything for the crude and when they collect finish they will allow the rest to spread and waste and pollute the environment. But if I talk politically now or maybe more into the dynamics of these things if you must stop that business then, the petroleum products must be so available that nobody would store such products. We have heard so much stories that we would build refineries in Lagos, we would build Modular refineries but nothing is being done. Even the Rivers state government at a time was to go into partnership with a group with hope to start a refinery. The Akwa Ibom government was about to start a refinery but all that came to nothing.  So, to stop this it means that you must find a way to make products completely available as nobody will think that it will finish today and tomorrow we need to hoard. Nobody will leave the good ones and go for the so-called “Gboo Fire” the fake ones. Spread Refineries all over the place then it becomes bad business for those who are doing the illegal will have to stop because nobody will buy their products. That is one way to stop it. Right now if you are in office you will have the dilemma of do we round off those boys? They are in the communities as the chiefs and leaders in the communities know who is doing that business. The buyers know who is doing the business. Some of them too have their links everywhere up the stream. So, that is an area that has been difficult to stop.”

With this atmospheric Soot in town what are your expectations about the effects in the next 10-years on the lives of residents as a Public Health expert?

“The soot particles are of different sizes. There are the bigger particles and there medium size particles and there are very fine particles. Most often our nostrils you know   have hair that are able to trap  the big particles and most of the ones we find on our surfaces are the big particles but they hardly go in because of the body has a way of trapping them. Even the ones that pass through the nose the mucous in the respiratory system trap them that is why sometimes when we cough we cough out black stain things because the body system has a way of trapping them.  But there are those fine ones that the body systems cannot trap. Those ones manage to escape into the lungs. Now the Soot on their own are like carbon base let us say charcoal like things as they could cause an immediate problems. More so for those who have are liable to respiratory problems such as Asthmatic and those who have allergic reaction plus the elderly who have compromise body systems that is those on oxygen and very young ones who have issues with their lungs because their lungs are still forming. The two extremes of life have danger those who have persistent respiratory problems also have danger. For the healthy, today it might just be that you keep producing those black things in your throat and you might find out that in the morning you are suffocating and after sometimes you get well. But the major danger is not even the hydrocarbon immediate itself but remember that some of these hydrocarbons also contain some other elements  that maybe carcinogens I can give you some examples like Benzene has been known to cause cancer. Maybe other elements that are used in refining crude oil as when you refine it is not just only the crude oil there are some additives that are added. This could be the problem what additives are added in it. Studies here have shown that calcium and one other elements but nothing too dangerous but the ones that frightened us are traces of benzene that was found in it. So, if that accumulates for overtime that maybe source of “cancer epidemic” in the next 10 to 20 years depending on the level of exposure. Today it may not be a problem but in the couple of years that could be the danger.”

 Your advice to state and Federal Governments on how best to curb these atmospheric soot menace?

“My advice as a citizen is simple government irrespective of political party, has a singular role of protecting the lives and property of citizens. Once you form a Government you are no longer a party but a government and every citizen both natives dwelling in your territory you have the responsibility to protect them. If there is an issue that is a threat to the life of people in your constituency be it state or be it a nation politics should be put aside and scientifically honestly the issues involved dealt with and not blame games ….is that person or it is this person. When you are doing blame games both your supporters and the supporters of your opponents are dying. Both your relatives are also inhaling it. Nobody is saved. The highest level of irresponsibility for anybody to do is when there is problem rather than face the problem head-on you now start talking politics. It makes no sense as there are men and women who know what to do. All you need is to give them whatever resources that is required for them to pursue this having identified the problem. The next stage lies in social mobilization to a large extent even though we are saying that these boys don’t have other alternatives but I am sure at time we bring facts and figures and show them the danger involved in the business that they are doing the boys are human beings too they will realize that rather than endanger everybody there are other ways. And if you bring them to talking round table saying “Okay we would find you something else to do in place of  this business” There are ways of getting around them we can reach them as they have communities, meet them as people know them and they are not like spirits who come and buy away from them. The petroleum stations that buy from them could be stopped from buying from them. It is a question of doing what is needed not going to air waves and saying that is state or that it is national or that is that is not the issues…face the problem politically, socially, and re-engage the boys and create alternatives for them so that they will leave that business and go into something else. That makes the place safer for all of us.”

Read Also: Soot pollution in Rivers: Concerned residents to protest against the health hazards

 May we have your academic background?

“I have a Bachelors degree in Medicine and In Surgery from University of Calabar, I have a Masters Degree in Public Medicine from University of Lagos, I am A Fellow of West African College of Physicians. I worked for Government and I had left Government as the old nomenclature should have been Chief Consultant and the new nomenclature should have been Consultant Special Grade One. But my last job for the state was as Director Public Health Services. I had A Post Graduate Diploma in Health Service and Management from the University of Maiduguri Borno State. Then the Fellowship is not institution based we write the examinations in Nigeria but West Africa Fellowship. I had also attended advance Courses in Administration and Management in Canada. I am married four children grown up now two are abroad one is at Abuja as only one is here with us.”