In my first Freewriter post, I want to introduce y'all to a fundamental issue that has plagued my city, where I live, work, and do business:
Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Port Harcourt is one of the fastest growing cities in Nigeria, I think about second to third place to Lagos which remains the industrial hub of West #Africa.
I live in this fast growing city located in the Southern region of Nigeria, in a state known as Rivers State with the catch phrase, "Treasure Base of the Nation" and Port Harcourt nicknamed, the: Garden City
This garden city has been a city of opportunities thriving in almost all key areas of growth and development including information technology, commerce and industries. In fact, in Port Harcourt, you'll readily thrive in whatever endeavor you choose. It's a glorious, relatively calm and thriving city.
Port Harcourt people, though a mix of different ethnic and national groups, are welcoming and they really do mind there business. So far, we've really enjoyed our city till lately,
Our city is losing most plants in it's garden; it's becoming less garden like
The Soot
For quite sometime now, we residents of Port Harcourt have been observing the appearance of black tiny wool-like charcoal substance, and this has gone on since late 2015, and only got worse lately. Touch your nose with a white piece of cloth, you'll fine that your nose if filled with this black substances; touch any flat surface, or even observe the air carefully sometimes, you may find it fall just in front of you. That's gross! Yea, it's, and you're correct for exclaiming with that remark, if you did so.
How it all Started
It should be noted that Nigeria is an oil-rich country with most of it's oil reserves in the Southern part of the country with Rivers State among one of the key oil producing states sited right in the South of the South of Nigeria. However, Nigeria only exports crude to nations and multinationals that process it into usable petroleum products, we don't do the refining ourselves! This could be attributed to a plethora of reasons, at the apex of which is bad governance.
As time went by, the boys in the creek along with the men their came up with ways to refine crude oil without depending on modern technology adopted by large oil and gas firms. I guess you can perceive how the problem is building up!
Owing to this unprofessional practices adopted by these so-called local refineries operated in the creek, there product do not always come out clean and its impact on the environment is usually not the most desired. In fact, these petroleum products are highly flammable and impure, that most person describe them as High Power Fuels (HPF) or locally and popularly, kpo-fire.
These illegal refining activities has resulted in a lot of undesired outcomes, including but not limited to the following:
- Deaths from fire accidents among those refining these products (areas where these products are refined can light up even with the smallest spark from two stones).
- Death and loss of properties by users of HPFs (fuel and kerosene) as these products are highly flammable.
- Amongst all is the constant presence of soot (by-product of incomplete carbon combustion) in our air which is already linked to over 500,000 respiratory tract issues, soil and water pollution, and a range of numerous other issues including high incidence of cardiovascular health issues among residents of Port Harcourt and its environs.
The proliferation of illegal refining of crude has turned into a lucrative venture in Rivers State, with stakeholders in high government offices, security and some private operators, raking out billions of naira weekly and even exporting crude products refined locally to neighbour countries. Thus, while the health impacts and environmental implications of these activities are unfavourable, the financial incentives makes it those involved look past the negatives and go head front in these activities without relenting.
Eggs Don't Have Business Playing with Stones
So, now, you may start assuming that everyone in Port Harcourt is sick, especially considering my title in which I warned you not to come over! The fact is, individuals with severe respiratory issues and intolerance for bad air may find it difficult living comfortably here in Port Harcourt. So, living here requires extra safety measures such as trying to stay masked on as often as possible. All the same, Port Harcourt and her environs are by no means uninhabitable. We live here!
Light At the End of the Tunnel
Lately, the state government here has begun cracking down on these illegal refineries and the campaign against them of recent has been the most successful. We only hope it is sustained.
On the flip side this development seems to have opened the eyes of the government on the potentials of Nigerians to refine their black gold for their use, and there has been some late but promising investments to this regard. I just hope it plays out nice.
We Live Here! Please visit us!
I am Chukwudi Ofurum, learn more about me from my introduction post.
I think my fellow Nigerians will enjoy this post, so here are some mentions: @Starstrings | 