An Associate Professor of Environmental Management, Dr Tony Okoye has identified waste from industries and emissions from vehicles as major causes of environmental pollution in Nigeria.
Okoye , a lecturer in the Department of Environmental Management, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, said this while delivering a lecture entitled “Air Pollution” at the event marking 2019 World Environmental Day on Wednesday.
The event was organised by the Faculty of Environmental Sciences of the university.
The expert, who majors in Pollution Management and Waste Management, said that poor power supply was another factor of high environmental pollution that had reduced the quality of life of the people.
According to him, many firms in the country lack the requisite technology for proper disposal of wastes which are largely gaseous emissions while most vehicles which are rickety contribute only poisonous carbon monoxide because of their worn out nature.
He said firms should acquire equipment which could help them trap the gaseous emissions in water for healthier disposal of wastes.
Okoye called on the federal and state governments to enforce rules on better environmental management by strengthening the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and their state equivalents.
He further called on states to adopt technologies that could help harvest the enormous energy that was produced at dumpsite or landfills through fossil emissions for energy supply purposes.
“Government has to do the needful to ensure that NESREA, which is the country’s environmental watchdog, is doing its job better than current situation.
“We should keep our vehicles in good shape to avoid poisonous gas emissions and avoid burning of leaves or compost.
“We should also conserve energy in our homes, workplaces by putting off appliances when they are not in use,” he said.
Prof. Clifford Nwanna, Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences of the University said that the programme was part of the contributions of the faculty towards raising awareness on contemporary environmental issues.
Nwanna, a professor of Arts and Sculpture said pollution was a big threat to human existence and called on all and sundry to join in the efforts to save the environment.
