Daniel Efe/Port Harcourt
The Senator representing Rivers south-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has called for a summit of stakeholders to find solution to the issue of sooth in Rivers State.
Abe made the call on Sunday while speaking at a special thanksgiving service and reception held at St. James Anglican Church Kpite to celebrate the victory of APC in Tai, Eleme and Oyigbo Federal Constituency in the December 10, 2016 re-run election in Rivers State.
The Senator, who demanded that a national health emergency be declared in the state, noted that the sooth poses great danger to the health of residents of the state as it can be visibly seen on cars, houses and in the atmosphere.
While noting that the time for politics is over and attention should now focus on solving the problems of the people, Abe said, “The time for politics is over, it is now time for us to come together to see how we can solve the problems of our people.”
“I want to use this opportunity to say to all of us that the real problem bordering Rivers people now, these past few days that I have been in the state, is the sooth that we are facing. I think we should come together and look for a way to declare a national health emergency in Rivers State.
“You will wake up in the morning your car is black, you will come out in the night the floor is black, and if everything around you is turning black you begin to wonder what is happening to your lungs, what is happening to your children what is the impact of these things and the long term consequences .Those of us who live here from January to December what is happening to us and what are we doing about it.”
“Nobody seems to have a clear answer. I think we should suspend all politics and come together and arrest this situation one way or the other. If we all come together to bring our federal connections and resources, the state brings its own resources, we call in the academic community, we call in the international community, if we pull all these resources together, I believe that whatever is causing this problem we can find a solution and bring an end to it.
“There is this general believe that black people don’t take environmental issues seriously, I don’t think this sooth is an environmental issue, it is a looming health calamity that can have consequences we did not bargain for, so I think we should even come together and do something urgently. Let us even call a summit or a seminar where we will all come together to brainstorm on this thing and see what we can do about it.”
He also thanked the people of Tai, Eleme and Oyigbo Federal Constituency for fighting vigorously to earn the victory that they have gotten after the election.
Abe said, “l want to use this opportunity to once again thank the people of Tai, Eleme and Oyigbo Federal Constituency for being such great partners, for being such committed supporters, for being such loyal people, who have done so much to ensure that the victory that we all fought for, the victory we have gotten will be retained.”