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Tag: Soot

  • Soot: Gov. Wike to set up centre for recycling of tyres, waste

    Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers says that the state is planning to establish a centre to recycle used tyres and organic waste material to end soot menace in the state.

    Wike told newsman on Tuesday in Port Harcourt that the state government was also discussing with experts on other environmentally friendly ways to end the perennial hydrocarbon emissions in the state.

    “The Rivers government is committed to ending the current soot in the atmosphere due to grave the implication it has on the health of the people.

    “We support the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies, but while doing this, we shouldn’t do it in a manner that would destroy lives and depopulate the state,” he said.

    The governor said that his administration had also started sensitising the people on ways to reduce the effect of soot in their homes.

    “The soot does not discriminate between who is APC or PDP member or discriminate between who is a governor and who is not; it affects all of us.

    “If you enter my room, everywhere is black, and so, it also affects me. We are all into this together,” he said.

    The governor urged security agencies to adopt other environmentally friendly methods in the destruction of illegal refineries and bunker sites in the state.

     

  • Everything going from bad to bizarre in Rivers state – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers has said fortune of the State is going bad to the bizarre.

    State Publicity Secretary of the party, Chris Finebone, made this known in a statement today.

    “Gov. Nyesom Wike believes in extreme politics based on total lack of morality, dishonesty and naked lies.

    “We will rather leave Gov. Wike and his statement to Nigerians and posterity. Obviously, the statement is beyond comprehension by any rational mind.

    “The truth is that under Gov. Wike everything in Rivers State is going from bad to the bizarre and this includes logical reasoning.

    “The governor was simply being disingenuous and we are not surprised that he made such a mendacious statement,” he said.

    Finebone was reacting to the State’s accusation of the federal government for deliberately using any means (and in this case soot) to depopulate parts of the country.

    “What can anyone say? It is really bizarre for a state governor to blame the federal government,” he said.

    “In respect of the soot ravaging Port Harcourt and environs, it would have made sense if the governor listed actions the state government has undertaken towards arresting the dangerous situation rather than claim that his government has done the needful.

    “What does Gov Wike precisely mean by doing the needful? He should specify what that means in clear times.

    “For sure I can tell you that that statement is mere facade to cover up the ineptitude of Gov. Wike’s government in tackling this challenge. The state government has done absolutely nothing in that regard,” he further stated.

    He asserted that the issue of environment is on the residual list in the Nigerian constitution hence the inability of the Nigerian parliament to make its legislation on the environment binding on states and local governments.

    “For example, despite the setting up of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) by the federal government, states and local governments reserve the right to or not to set up State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Local Government Emergency Management Agency (LEMA) respectively.

    “For instance, Rivers State does not have SEMA and LEMA,” he said.

     

  • #StopTheSoot: Gov. Wike directs ‘Rivers of soot’ blame to FG

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has called on those planning to demonstrate against the presence of soot to channel their protest to the Federal Government.

    He said the Federal Government is strictly responsible for the degradation and pollution of the Rivers environment.

    Speaking at the Government House Port Harcourt on Monday during the inauguration of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency, Governor Wike urged the #StopTheSoot campaigners to demonstrate against the Federal Government in the interest of justice.

    He said that the Rivers State Government has done all that it is supposed to do, including advocacy and enlightenment campaigns, with no action from the Federal Government.

    “I hear that people want to demonstrate that there is soot in the state. Help us demonstrate against the Federal Government and we will all be happy.

    “This is because we have no control over the sources of soot. Do I go to shutdown the Refinery? Will they not say that it is economic sabotage?

    “Do I even have the security? Do I control the Police or the Army to go and stop oil production at the refinery?” Wike stated.

    Governor Wike added that the State Government cannot stop the Nigerian Navy from destroying illegal refineries in ways that release dangerous substances to pollute the environment.

    He said all entreaties have fallen on deaf ears, and that nobody is happy about the presence of soot in the state as its effect is non-discriminatory.

    The governor said it is necessary to properly situate those with the responsibility of stopping the soot, rather than protesting for the sake of creating social tension.

    He, however, assured the people of Rivers State that the administration will continue to prevail on the security agencies and regulatory institutions to take the right step to stop the soot.