Niger-Delta group confident military efforts will end soot

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Niger-Delta Environmental Health Advocacy group, Women for Sustainability (WfS), said military efforts in the region will put an end to soot.

The soot appeared in the region following activities of crude oil/products thieves.

The group in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Convener of the group, Ms. Ibieye Batubo attributed the almost disappearance of the soot to ongoing military operations to rid the region of economic criminals.

The statement said people of the region especially those residing in Port-Harcourt city are delighted with the exploits of the military in gradually finding solution to the air pollution that affects the health of the people.

The convener averred that their findings revealed that though it has not been completely eradicated, the situation is far better to what it was before now.

While commending the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen LEO Irabor for his commitment towards finding solution to the economic sabotage, the group urged troops to shun criminals who want to continue to steal the commonwealth of the people and spread diseases in the region.

“We commend the Defence Headquarters for playing a major role in the reduction of soot in the region, we say it is still not uhuru. We want to have an environment devoid of pollution that breeds diseases.

“We therefore appeal to the Chief of Defence Staff Gen LEO Irabor and his troops not to give in to the antics of the crude oil thieves, some of who are not ready to give up on crime. For the very first time, we have a CDS that has visited the region on several occasions because of the economic sabotage.

The group appealed to residents of the region to cooperate with troops in solving the problem.

“This problem cannot be solved if our people who have been exposed to all kinds of environmental hazards fail to cooperate with the military to bring an end to the crisis,” Batubo added.