Environmental guards will eradicate indiscriminate waste disposal –Prof. Udom

Prof. Bassey Etim Ubom teaches Environmental Science at the University of Abuja. In this interview with Emmanuel Ologun, the renowned environmentalist warns that the frightening earth tremors experienced in FCT recently serve as timely warning to the country to halt unregulated quarrying activities, environmental degradation and uncontrolled drilling of boreholes in many cities.

What do you think might be responsible for the recent earth tremor in FCT?

The major problem is that the nation has refused to recognise the importance of the environment adequately. When leaders deliberately ignore the signs and symptoms of decay and people do things that are not wholesome or positive to the environment, there will certainly be negative reactions from the environment. Avoidable things like flooding, soil erosion and earth tremors are the result of unhealthy human activities which over exploit the soil without regard to the consequences of these actions. When we block water tunnels and throw away refuse everywhere, what do we expect? People, especially motorists are simply ignorant or disobedient and will eat things in their vehicles and throw out the rubbish, including empty cans, from windows of their moving vehicles. This is a very unhealthy practice. The activities of people who abuse our surroundings in Nigeria can affect people in other parts of the world because issues affecting the environment in Nigeria can affect people in other countries because the entire world is now a global village. The tremors that occurred in FCT are seismic problems which are caused by the movement of under-ground soil or rocks as a result of too many blasting. Seismic problems occur when the balance of the soil is disturbed. We should all thank our stars that this part of the world does not experience earthquakes, but this cannot be ruled out with the rate of unregulated activities of drilling companies.
It is a problem that high level drilling and blasting of rocks by quarries and construction companies has been taking place for a long time in Abuja and nobody cares to regulate the practice, caution the construction companies or even ascertain the calibre of dynamite that are used in these rock blasting actions. We do not even have environmental impact assessment policies in place or proper regulations to guide the drillers. Government should take responsibility for allowing people to violate the environment without proper checks.

Do you think indiscriminate drilling of boreholes in the FCT also contributes to the earth tremors?

Every drilling activity has laws that must be obeyed, but drilling for any purpose cannot just be allowed everywhere without dire consequences. It is now obvious from what happened that unrestrained drilling activities can transform into other serious environmental effects. Some of the drilling companies even drill boreholes and wells where there are refuse dumps or areas with high rate of human faeces with the result that the water from such dumps flow through underground currents or rain water movement into the boreholes and people consume them.

This is why many of the boreholes do not have purified water. This results in outbreak of cholera and other water-borne diseases. The nation is currently not proactive about protecting the environment. Our leaders only pay lip-service to such things. For example, Lokoja, the Kogi state capital, experienced massive flooding some years ago, but despite all the promises by government, nothing was done to prevent a reoccurrence of the disaster. The metrological agency has warned that the same disaster might happen in Lokoja again this year as a result of rising water levels.

Are you suggesting that environmental regulatory agencies in states and FCT are not doing their work?

Many of the appointees in these agencies are square pegs in round holes, that is why we are experiencing persistent problems with the environment. Government has continuously sidelined people who are professionals and teachers in these areas who know what is wrong and how to correct the problems. Another major fundamental issue is the absence of environmental education in the nation’s education institutions. Environmental education should be re-introduced in our schools starting from the nursery/primary through secondary to tertiary levels, to enable the people understand that it is their duty to protect the environment. Sanitation and Nature Studies were in the old school curriculum, but were removed for no just cause. Our grandparents know how to conserve the environment better than the average Nigerian living today; that was why the villages reserved some areas and called them “Evil Forests”, where no farming or other soil related activities take place. The level of burning has also increased today with very negative effects.

How can the government control plastic bags and other dangerous wastes in the drainage system?

Many of the cellophane bags found in the drainage system were used by some communities for what we call “short put.” It means wrapping faeces in such items and throwing them into the bush or gutters. In environmental science, there is something we call the three “Rs”, which refers to reduce, reuse and recycling of wastes. We must redefine our environmental laws. If the government can declare war on environmental degradation by assuring the public that each fifty polythene or leather bags and plastic materials that are picked up will earn someone N100 or more, I can assure you that the environment will look better and healthier. Today, however, our water ways, farms, rivers and drainages are choking with plastic and cellophane materials that do not dissolve but pollute the environment. These materials are not bio-degradable and do not decay no matter how long they stay in an area. People should be engaged to protect our environments. The federal and state governments should return sanitation inspectors or environmental guards to towns and villages. Apart from returning these inspectors, there should be strict laws to prohibit indiscriminate dumping of refuse, throwing things out of cars, public defecation and engagement in activities that endanger the environment.

We need to rearrange and re-orientate our thinking processes in this country. Our value system is very poor and something drastic needs to be done, and urgently too, about the situation for the nation to survive. Even on the highways, there are many vehicles that smoke like locomotive engines but regulatory agencies do not care to call the owners of such automobiles that contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer to order. Carbon emissions from such smoking engines contribute to depleting the ozone layer which prevents harsh sun rays from entering the atmosphere.

How can Nigeria invest in more recycling plants for plastics, tyres and cellophane bags, among others?

These products are a great business in Nigeria today. The average market woman has more than 200 cellophane bags in her house and in the stall. More are added everyday because people buy things and want them inside these bags. These bags can be reused instead of being discarded and new one sought. Government should also start to create the environment whereby recycling plants can spring up for such things now that we are talking about creating employment and moving from waste to wealth. Researchers at the University of Abuja designed and produced a nice incinerator that does not smoke. Industries can use it to recycle their waste materials without damaging the environment. My final word is that government and people should put their heads together to fight the menace called environmental degradation to a standstill. Government should come up with well articulated policies for suitable implementation of ecological funds with proper monitoring processes. A proactive government will encourage people to look at issues through articulated, galvanised and metamorphosed ideologies that will take the nation to the next level of development.

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