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  • Help, we’re dying slowly!

    Help, we’re dying slowly!

    • Ex-SSG, varsity don, prominent lawyer lead protests against Niger factory’s activities
    • Say residents dying of cancer, asthma other diseases caused by plastic recycling operations
    • Factory owner dismisses accusations, claims possession of NISEPA, NISREA, EIA certifications

    Storm is brewing in Gidan Madara, an estate once defined by its tranquil ambience in the Minna metropolis in Niger State. A factory, Golden Age Table Water and Polymer Nigeria Limited, are allegedly polluting the air with emissions from its plastic recycling operations. While the factory presents itself as a bastion of environmental responsibility, residents paint a starkly different picture of respiratory ailments and environmental degradation.

    Located in the heart of a residential area, the factory produces bottled water, sachet water, and a variety of plastic items like buckets, basins and cutlery. But a development that should have been a symbol of industrial progress has become a source of anguish as residents accuse the factory of compromising air quality with emissions that threaten their health and the environment.

    A petition signed by 45 residents, including prominent figures like former Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Ahmed Matane, Mr Lucky Barau, Barrister Bawa Wuse and Prof. Salihu Niworu, reveals the gravity of their plight. Titled “Petition for Quick Intervention to Save Our Souls from Noxious Chemicals, Plastic Fumes, and Soot Pollution,” the petition the petition reads: “The ambient air quality at Gidan Madara and Dadin Kowa Estate has been degraded.

    “Nigeria ranks third among 10 countries with annual premature air pollution-related deaths.

    “This is the environmental injustice that we, the residents of Gidan Madara and Dadin Kowa Estate, have suffered from the Golden Age Plastics Melting and Recycling facility since 2019.

    “All efforts made to get the proprietor of the factory to stop air pollution with noxious chemicals, plastic fumes and soot has failed. He is suffocating us and killing us gradually while he goes home to enjoy clean air.

    “We are exposed to risks of blood poisoning and premature death from cardiovascular organ failure.

    “We suffer asphyxiation (insufficient oxygen) day and night, and some residents of Gidan Madara have already developed respiratory diseases like asthma, chronic catarrh, cough, chest pain and insomnia.

    “There is no guarantee that the innocent students of Himma International College, Redeemer’s Academy, Royal Ideal Schools, frequent visitors to Trade Fair complex, casual employees in Golden Age water factory, our children and grandchildren will ever live productive lives, having had their organs contaminated with toxins, furans, dioxins and hard metals that are carcinogenic and capable of endocrine disruption.

    “It is noteworthy that Gidan Madara layout is not an industrial layout. Thus, we have appealed to relevant federal and state agencies which are capable of protecting the environment and enforcing environmental standards and guaranty the rights of all Nigerians to enjoy clean air but they failed to stop the environmental injustice for overriding public health interest or compel him to remove the plastics recycling plant from residential area since 2019.

    “The mutation of Gidan Madara water factory to a plastics recycling facility in a predominantly residential area is an aberration in the 21st Century, abuse of privileges in a peaceful neighbourhood and blatant insult to Mr Governor’s New Niger and Urban Renewal Initiatives.

    “Justice is a virtue, hence our quest for environmental justice. We appeal to the Commissioner to protect our fundamental human rights to life and inalienable access to clean air in tandem with SDG 3 for good health and well-being.

    “We are not opposed to investment but utterly reject any investment that threatens our health and right to life. We have endured enough.

    “For peaceful co-existence in the neighbourhood, kindly save us from further pollution and premature death. We cannot enjoy quality sleep at night or fresh air in the daytime. We are dying gradually.”

    The factory, the residents argue, represents an environmental injustice in a country that already ranks third globally in annual premature deaths due to air pollution.

    The human toll

    Abdullahi Bawa, a resident, shared a heart-wrenching account of how the factory’s emissions aggravated his wife’s asthma, ultimately leading to her death.

    “If you have a health condition and continue inhaling these emissions, it will worsen over time,” he said.

    He said although the factory claims to be recycling plastics cleanly, plastic recycling ought to be done in an industrial area and not a residential area, adding that its activities have continued to constitute a threat to their lives.

    Bawa said: “Why would someone processing water suddenly turn into recycling plastics and thereby polluting the whole community with all his particles?

    “Plastic recycling is not supposed to be done within a residential area; it is supposed to be done within an industrial area.

    “We have approached him several times and he has continued. That is why we had to write the petition.

    “If they were producing now, you would see how they pollute the air. Emissions from the factory are disturbing the entire community.

    “We have talked to them and spoken to some appropriate authorities but nothing has been done. They are killing us silently.

    “The factory has been emitting smoke and the owner told us that he had actually stopped the emission. But the smell is still there.

    “I don’t know whether one can filter air thoroughly in such a way that it won’t be harmful to the community when you are melting something there. “

    Asked for evidence that the operations of the factory threatened their lives, Bawa stated that his wife’s asthma condition was aggravated when the factory began the recycling operations, adding that the development culminated in her death.

    He said: “Personally, I am a victim. I lost my wife. She had been having asthma problems for long but it was during these emissions that it became more severe.

    “We were frequently in the hospital for treatment. Suddenly, she went to a naming ceremony where she had an attack.

    “If you have a health related problem and you continue inhaling this thing for some time, it will aggravate the condition, whether you like it or not. I am also a victim.

    “The pollution is killing people gradually. The owner does not live here with us. He would only come for a few hours and go away while we inhale this thing morning, afternoon and night.

    “Inasmuch as he is producing, there must be pollution coming out from the factory.”

    Another resident, Mr Lucky Barau, said the pollution from the plastic factory had worsened and had caused most of the residents their night rest,

    “We cannot sleep. This is getting too much. My wife is asthmatic and her asthma is back. We have to close our windows any time he is doing his production,” he said.

    Another resident who wished to remain anonymous emphasised the community’s main demand: the cessation of plastic recycling operations in their residential area.

    “We have no problem with the water production; it is the plastic recycling that is killing us,” he said.

    Global epidemic

    The controversy in Gidan Madara underscores a broader issue—plastic pollution. According to the United Nations, the world produces over 300 million tons of plastic annually, with 14 million tons ending up in the ocean each year. In Nigeria, the problem is particularly severe as inadequate waste management systems struggle to cope with mounting plastic waste.

    The health risks are alarming. A 2021 study revealed that plastic-related pollution contributes to respiratory illnesses, cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Microplastics, often released during recycling processes, infiltrate the food chain, posing risks even to those far removed from industrial hubs.

    Golden Age factory’s defence

    The factory’s owner, Okoli Antony Chidi, however, vigorously defended its operations, insisting that the facility employs modern, environmentally friendly technology.

    “We don’t burn plastics; we recycle them using state-of-the-art technology,” he said, pointing to a ₦4.4 million extractor installed to prevent harmful emissions.

    Chidi added: “The relevant agencies have come and checked and I don’t think there is anything substantial they have seen that we are deteriorating the environment.

    “And I am confident they won’t see anything because I ensure that I comply with all procedures and processes to ensure that we keep the environment safe and clean. I have all the certifications from NISEPA, NISREA and EIA.”

    Chidi also dismissed allegations of health risks, claiming that none of his workers had reported significant illnesses. He attributed the community’s outcry to personal vendetta, particularly targeting one neighbour, Mr Lucky Barau, who he alleges holds a grudge over unrelated disputes.

    He said: “My staff (members) have not fallen sick in recent times. We are all here and we are all strong and we have never had any major sickness; not even malaria or typhoid.

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    “Even the neighbours that are complaining, I doubt if any of them has fallen sick and it was attributed to the activities of my factory.”

    Chidi explained that the factory has a dumpsite where they collect and clean the plastic before bringing it to the factory for recycling, “People say we burn, but there is nothing like burning in recycling, because any material you burn, you are damaging it and it won’t work anywhere. What we do is melt and turn it into the product we desire.

    “We have had relevant organisations visit us and given us a clean bill. They have inspected all we do and they do not have any problem with it. I don’t think the process we are doing here is harmful to human health. We don’t burn; we only recycle,” he said.

    He further claimed that the accusations and petitions stem from a personal grudge, alleging that a former official of the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) was using his influence to disrupt the factory’s operations.

    “This is not about pollution but vendetta,” he said.

    “One of the neighbours, Mr Lucky Barau, requested to connect the light to my transformer and I told him I am not the sole owner of the transformer. The transformer is being used between Golden Age and TY Plastic which is sharing a fence with him.

    “The man said he would not allow Mr Lucky to take light from our transformer. So I went back and told him that the transformer is already overloaded and if he connects, other neighbours would want to also connect and the voltage would not be enough for our operations. I told Mr Lucky to see what he could do to get his own transformer.

    “I did not know he felt so offended. After some months, he started making trouble that the factory was polluting the environment.

    “After several checks by relevant authorities, he was silent for a while. But with the emergence of this new government, he started again.

    “All relevant authorities have come and inspected and checked my factory and did not see anything wrong with our operations and activities.

    “We are not causing harm to the environment. We don’t have any pollution here. So i don’t know what he is seeing that I am not seeing even though I am more a professional environmentalist than him.

    “It is as if he is still hurt.”

    Barau counters Chidi’s claims

    But Barau refuted Chidi’s claims, labelling them “cheap blackmail.”

    “The pollution started in 2019. We didn’t even know where the smell was coming from at first. By 2020, we realized it was from the factory,” he said.

    Barau stressed that the petition was signed by numerous respected figures, highlighting that the grievances are collective and not personal.

    He argued against the environmental and health hazards caused by the factory’s operations, which release toxic fumes and soot into the air, severely affecting his asthmatic wife and the neighbourhood. Barau detailed the dangers of plastic fumes, which he said cause respiratory issues and long-term health risks, including cancer. He mentioned coughing up soot daily and the worsening of his wife’s asthma due to the pollution.

    Barau, a former General Manager of NISEPA, highlights widespread discontent, citing a petition signed by 44 prominent residents, including professionals, against the factory. He also refuted Chidi’s claims of vendetta.

    He alleged that the factory lacks proper certification, adding that Chidi had used his influence to bypass regulations and environmental assessments. He said while the comminity is supportive of the factory’s water production, they are demanding that the plastic operations be relocated to an industrial area to prevent further harm to residents.

    Barau refuted the allegation that he tried to tap electricity from the factory, dismissing it as a piece of blackmail meant to discredit him and make him back off the demand for clean air for his community, vowing not to back down until justice is served and the pollution ceases.

    Barau said: “Chidi thinks he can use cheap blackmail to make me bow out. It is not possible. I am an authority when it comes to plastics.

    ‘I have presented papers on plastics both nationally and internationally to save people from plastic pollution, and it is within my own vicinity that I can’t save myself?

    “Sadly, some children in this area may not give birth when they grow up. His workers do not know what they are facing. Some of them may never live their full lifespan.

    “No blackmail will make me back out. If I needed light, I know where to connect it from and not from Chidi. He feels if he holds on to that, I will feel threatened and back out.

    “I am not backing out of anything. He is using it to gain public sympathy. I won’t back out.

    “Once you apply heat to plastic, it releases pollutants. When you are melting the plastic, you are releasing acnegenic substances that can cause cancer, aggravate asthma, respiratory diseases and others.

    “He claims he is not burning but melting. I can tell you that melting and burning are the same. When you produce buckets and other plastics, some things are added called plasticizers, they have the same effect that burning plastic has.

    “I am surprised that he has reduced an entire human fight to 33 KVA. Do I look poor that I can’t connect the light I want? He thinks if he holds on to that line of blackmail he will win, but I won’t be cowed.”

    Barau insists that clean air is a fundamental right and that the fight to protect the health and well-being of the community would continue.

    “There is no way to fully capture smoke or fumes from plastic recycling,” he added.

    “The health risks are real. Must we die for his business to continue? Must he buy his way through every organisation?”

    Barau posited that as long as the activities of the plastic factory affects him, his family and the entire community, there will be issues with the factory, adding that they would stop petitions against the factory when recycling of plastics no longer affects the people.

    “If today the activities of Golden Age do not affect my house and those of others, he can remain here for as long as he wants. As long as the dust does not come to my house and I don’t have to go to the hospital with my wife daily, I am fine.”

    Government agencies under scrutiny

    The role of regulatory bodies like the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) has come under question. Residents argue that inspections are cursory and fail to address their concerns.

    Reacting to the claim of a clean bill of operation by relevant agencies by the factory, the concerned residents said that none of the agencies had contacted the residents while inspecting the factory to hear their views or get their opinions.

    “When did these agencies come? We have been here and we wrote these petitions, so why weren’t we called upon when they came to inspect the factory?

    “It may be true that the agencies came and inspected but we are not aware of it. No agency has contacted us to know if the factory is harming us or not.

    “Representatives of the government have not been fair to us. None of the agencies has contacted us. Whichever agency gives him approval, when they were approving, they were supposed to consult the community to know whether the factory was harming us or not, but they haven’t done that.

    “The agencies have not contacted us so I don’t see why someone is sitting somewhere and saying that the air around our community is free from pollution. He wants to make money at the expense of our wealth.

    “We appreciate him coming to establish a water factory here. But to go into recycling, is it good for people to buy water from him, which is being produced side by side with recycling products? It is not done.

    “We have no problem with his water project but the recycling is our problem, and that is where the recycling comes from.”

    Reporter visits Golden Age factory

    Our reporter visited the Golden Age factory to ascertain the claims stated in the petition by residents. The reporter went through the city gate axis and driving down, there was no evidence of soot or dust around the environment. Also, there was no smell of plastic to show that there was a factory recycling plastic in the area.

    The reporter was taken around the factory by the Human Resource Manager, Mr Emeziem Kizito. She was shown the injector plant where the plastics are cut into smaller pieces and then melted. There is also a sack called the dust bag which is said to mop up smoke.

    During the visit, the reporter did not see any evidence of smoke wafting from the factory even though the production of plastics was ongoing. Some of the workers wore nose masks while others did not.

    The recycling process begins by feeding the plastic waste into a crusher, where it is broken down into tiny particles. These particles are then transferred to an injection machine, where they are heated and melted. Once melted, the plastic is molded into the desired shapes or products.

    “As you can see, there are no fumes in crushing the plastics. It is crushed into tiny pieces and the dust bag absorbs any form of dust coming out of the crusher.

    “What we use in this factory are high-grade multi-task technology which promotes clean energy.

    “The melting process is also contained as there is no emission in the form of fumes or vapour as the injection machine is enclosed and absorbs any fume or vapour.”

    During a visit, this reporter observed no visible signs of smoke or soot, as the factory staff demonstrated the recycling process. While the technology appeared advanced, the absence of masks on some workers raised concerns about occupational safety.

    During the visit, the reporter met some officials of the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) who were also on inspection but none of them was willing to share their observations or findings when asked. A visit to the office of the NISEPA General Manager met his absence.

    When the reporter stated her findings about the operation to the factory, Barau said there is no way smoke or fumes can be captured, adding that whether the plastics can be smelled or not, as long as it is being inhaled, it is dangerous to the human system.

    “You are inhaling it, whether it smells or not. Pollutants are not seen. I complain about fumes, soots and hydrocarbons. These cannot be seen.

    “They release these fumes in the night, and when they do, they come to my parlour, kitchen and bedroom.”

    Chidi reiterated his commitment to environmental compliance while residents remain skeptical, pointing out that occasional inspections do not negate the daily reality of living near the factory.

    A growing environmental threat

    Plastic pollution has become a global crisis, with Nigeria ranking among the top countries struggling with waste management.

    According to a 2022 report by the World Bank, Nigeria generates about 2.5 million tons of plastic waste annually, of which only 10 per cent is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, waterways, and, increasingly, the air.

    In Minna, the situation is a microcosm of this broader issue. While the factory claims to recycle plastic waste responsibly, residents dispute the environmental safety of its processes.

    “What we have as emissions are just normal greenhouse gases,” said Kizito, the company’s Human Resource Manager.

    However, local health data tells a different story, with community members reporting increased cases of respiratory illnesses since the factory began operations in 2019.

    The broader outlook

    This conflict in Minna underscores the delicate balance between industrial growth and environmental health. Plastic recycling is crucial in combating waste, yet poor regulation and enforcement often lead to environmental injustices.

    As Nigeria grapples with increasing plastic pollution, experts warn that the health and safety of communities must not be overlooked.

    Dr. Ahmed Usman, an environmental scientist, explains: “Recycling is only as safe as the processes involved. Without proper oversight, emissions from factories can release harmful pollutants like dioxins and furans, which are linked to cancer and hormonal disruptions.”

    Research however showed that melting plastics is not the same as burning plastics, as melting plastics involves heating plastic to a temperature where it becomes soft and malleable or turns into a liquid and occurs without combustion and does not necessarily release toxic fumes if done under controlled conditions. Melting is often used in recycling processes to reshape or repurpose plastic materials.

    On the other hand, burning plastic involves combustion, where plastic reacts with oxygen at high temperatures to produce heat and flames. This process releases harmful gases and toxins such as dioxins, furans, and carbon monoxide, which are hazardous to human health and the environment.

    A factory producing plastic using the melting method in a residential area can pose several harms even if it does not involve burning plastic. Melting plastics can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful chemicals, especially if additives or certain types of plastics (e.g., PVC) are used.

    These emissions can irritate the respiratory system, eyes, and skin.  The process may release tiny plastic particles into the air, which can be inhaled and cause long-term health issues.

    It can cause some health risks as inhalation of chemical fumes can lead to coughing, shortness of breath, asthma, or other chronic respiratory problems while prolonged exposure to certain chemicals from plastics, like phthalates or bisphenols, can have hormone-disrupting effects and increase the risk of serious illnesses, including cancer.

    The melting process can also produce unpleasant odors, making the living conditions in the area uncomfortable for residents. There is also the risk of fire as plastic production involves flammable materials, and the risk of accidental fires is high in residential areas, endangering lives and property.

    Factories in residential areas may lower property values, deter other economic activities, and create challenges for local businesses reliant on clean air and water.

    However, factories can take mitigation measures by using air filtration systems to capture emissions, maintain a significant buffer zone between the factory and residential areas while complying with environmental and health regulations to minimise risks.

    The quest for justice

    As the debate rages on, the Gidan Madara community’s plea resonates with a global call for stricter regulations on plastic recycling and urban planning. The environmental and health stakes are too high to ignore.

    For now, the residents wait—hopeful that their cries will lead to meaningful action, not just for their sake but for the countless communities worldwide grappling with the twin challenges of industrial growth and environmental sustainability.

    For these residents, the fight for clean air is not just about survival—it’s about reclaiming their dignity and right to a livable environment.

    On the other hand, the Golden Age management has expressed a willingness to relocate to a less populated area, but residents remain skeptical as they continue to call for urgent intervention to ensure their health and well-being are not compromised.

  • Help from beside

    Help from beside

    For Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, the saying that behind every great man there’s a great woman strictly adheres. It takes an exceptional woman to be married to a man like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who can never be deterred from pursuing any goal that he sets his mind on. Considering the man’s audacity, many women would have ‘chickened out’ or done everything within their powers to stop such husband from pursuing especially the kind of political ambition Tinubu has been involved in, especially during the years of the locust that military rule represented for Nigeria.

    Is it the hide-and-seek game with security agents in the course of the struggle to return the military to their barracks that we want to talk about? Or life in exile where he fled to alongside other patriots when the heat was too much at home? Or even the many struggles that he has had to wage on the political terrain before he became Governor of Lagos State? The many back-stabbings by hitherto close associates and friends on the bumpy road to the presidency? As the Late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti sang: “how many, how many, how many we go count? Many, many.”

    It is no mean task for ordinary mortals to surmount these seemingly insurmountable difficulties. And the role or place of a supportive spouse cannot be discountenanced in all of these.

    As Tinubu was busy building bridges and extending handshakes across the Niger, the wife too was doing same across the country, especially with the womenfolk. Her main vehicles being her pet projects that spread across the country, with charity beginning of course from home, Lagos.

    As First Lady in Lagos State (1999-2007), she initiated, through her New Era Foundation, the Spelling Bee Competition for secondary school children in the state. The winner was then made One Day Governor of the state, and children who are not Lagosians had won this competition and occupied this seat at one point or the other. As a matter of fact, the winners of the maiden edition and the second — Master Ebuka Anisiobi, Maryland Comprehensive High School, Maryland, Lagos, (2001), and Miss Otiti Ovuewhorie of Lagos Model College Badore (2002) — were not Lagosians.

    Many of those who became One Day Governor then as youths have now become men and women, and as I learnt, they still find time to come together to share their thoughts. There are some experiences that remain evergreen in the minds of children. There is therefore no doubt that such people would not forget their experiences for the one day they acted as governor, with many of them telling Lagosians their plans and vision for the state. They would for a long time continue to remember the platform that conferred the privileges they enjoyed as winners of the competition and the person behind it. Many of them would have been in the vanguard of flying Tinubu’s flag in his political odyssey.

    Of course, Mrs Tinubu in her capacity as senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly from 2011 to 2023 also had some compassionate interventions in the lives of many Nigerians.

    And, since becoming the country’s first lady, she had also initiated some laudable projects to empower the womenfolk. In keeping with its mandate of empowering Nigerian women with enabling skills, her arm of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) graduated the first set of beneficiaries of its Women ICT Training and Empowerment Programme last year.

    About 35 women drawn from across the FCT participated in the programme and were, upon graduation in August, presented with a brand new laptop and N100,000 intervention grant each.

    Also, in September, last year, the initiative distributed N500 million relief packages to about 500 families affected by communal conflict in six local government areas of Plateau State. There are others too numerous to name.

     So, what she is doing currently as the country’s First Lady is not new to her. She is walking on a familiar terrain, with the experiences she had gathered along the line, that are expected to be brought to bear on her present elevated assignment.

     I am talking about her agricultural support programme for women farmers under the larger umbrella of her husband’s RHI, in several parts of the country. My initial take was to see it as one of those projects, but it became a topical issue worthy of attention on this page when I saw that the project was not just taking place in a state but in several states in virtually all the geopolitical regions of the country simultaneously, except the south-south zone. It was launched last week.

    At this point, it became for me like the proverbial elephant that only the mischievous would pretend not to have seen and so would say ‘it seems something just walked pass’! An elephant is beyond ‘it seems’; when we see one, we should acknowledge it. I mean a project the magnitude of that undertaken by the wife of the President is worthy of attention and mention. Here, one is not talking about the quantum of resources but more in terms of the effects it would have on food security if faithfully implemented.

    Read Also: Varsity teachers jailed in Cameroon seek Tinubu’s, Reps’ help to regain freedom

    Speaking during the flag-off of the initiative on Tuesday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, the First Lady said the programme was currently ongoing in other regions in the country. Represented by Salamatu Gbajabiamila, wife of the chief of staff to the president, Mrs Tinubu said the south-south was the only region where the project was yet to be launched.

    Twenty women in each of the north-central states of Niger, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kwara and Kogi would share N10 million; that is N500,000 apiece. The aim is to boost food security as well as empower women in agriculture, hence the beneficiaries were mainly women involved in animal husbandry, poultry and fish farming. Only about 25 per cent of beneficiaries of the empowerment are men.

    “Today, we are flagging off the Renewed Hope Initiative Agricultural Support Programme for the North-Central Zone, in fulfilment of our promise to continue to promote the womenfolk, particularly farmers across the nation”, the First Lady was quoted as saying.

    She added: “Therefore, RHI’s commitment to supporting women farmers nationwide aligns with the broader national agenda to strengthen the agricultural sector.”

    Mrs Tinubu urged “all stakeholders, including government officials, community leaders, and non-governmental organisations, to work hand in hand to support local farmers to ensure food security in our communities and nation at large.”

    Helen Mutfwang, wife of Plateau State governor and the state’s coordinator of RHI, who was represented by Kachallom Gang, commissioner for higher education, noted the challenges that women in agriculture face, including limited access to resources, lack of training and education, and gender-based discrimination. She added however, that “this support will enable the women to reach their full potential and contribute to the growth and development of our agricultural sector.”

    This was the situation in all the other states where the launching was taking place simultaneously, with the wives of governors serving as coordinators of the project in their states.

    With this particular programme, she is not only lending a helping hand to her husband’s administration, she is also contributing to Nigeria’s efforts to fight hunger in the land. And when hunger is taken out of the poverty question, the problem is partly solved. One needs to eat and be alive to aspire to anything. Women have a lot to contribute to the efforts to feed the nation. Their attention is sorely needed to address the problem of food security in the country. This is why we should applaud Mrs Tinubu’s choice of the vulnerable, yet indispensable segment of the population, for this equally important assistance.

    However, for the grants given to bear fruit, and for similar efforts by governments and others to be meaningful, the government must be ready to guarantee security on the farms. The security agencies are trying but they need to redouble their efforts. Peace is sine quanon to any endeavour, farming inclusive.

    Moreover, transportation, especially in the hinterlands must be worked on. We do not have to concentrate efforts at constructing roads in urban centres to the detriment of the rural areas where the food we eat comes from. There should be easy access to and especially from the farms. The storage problem too must be addressed. The farmers should not be left to their devices after producing the crops. The best way to encourage them and therefore ensure stability of prices of foodstuffs is to buy off the products from them to cut their loss.

    Truth is, women are more dependable when it comes to money matters. One can say with a reasonable degree of confidence that the women that have been given the grants, or the ones still expectant would better utilise the funds than men. Empirical evidence has proven that over and over again. Many men who got such funds (or even loans) in the past spent the money to acquire more wives, among other frivolities. Even if women would be so much in love to want to shower such money on their lover, the tendency to do that would be very low.

    International agencies focus more on women empowerment schemes and projects affecting children, women and poverty for understandable reasons.

     It is heartwarming that Mrs Tinubu’s agricultural empowerment for women falls under this category and has therefore given it the endorsement of the United Nations (UN) that has expressed its readiness to work with the First Lady through the RHI in addressing challenges confronting the nation, particularly in these critical areas.

    Dr. James Emmanuel Kwegyir-Aggrey (1875-1927), a Ghanaian scholar and

    one of this century’s greatest educators it was who said: “if you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate a family (nation)”. This is true even beyond the realm of education, and the reason for this is simple: women are naturally kind-hearted and compassionate. The woman knows that when trouble comes, she and the children are usually the most vulnerable victims. So, she would be willing to do everything to avert that victimhood. Mrs Tinubu’s empowerment scheme has addressed some of the issues encountered by women in agriculture. It must be sustained and monitored for optimum results.

  • Help!

    •After Christian Chukwu, another Nigerian footballing great, Peter “the cat” Fregene, needs urgent support

    The picture was sheer delight: “Chairman” Christian Chukwu, former Green Eagles’ African Cup of Nations-winning captain in 1980 and former coach of the Super Eagles, in company with Femi Otedola (who donated the US$ 50, 000 for the treatment), Amaju Pinnick, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president and Chukwu’s wife, at a London hospital. It shows our “Chairman”, though looking gaunt and rather frail, is being taken care of. Even more assuring was Mr. Otedola’s pledge, to the London hospital staff, that cash won’t be an impediment to Chukwu’s treatment, even if the US$ 50, 000 on the table were to be exhausted.

    But the Peter Fregene story is much more dismal. Peter “the flying cat” Fregene, is perhaps the most durable goalkeeper in Nigerian football history. At his peak and as goalkeeper for the flamboyant Lagos club side, Stationery Stores aka “Adebajo Babes”, “Super Stores”, “Flaming Flamingoes”, among other gushing monikers, the no-less-flamboyant and quick-reflex Fregene manned the goal for the Nigerian national team in the 1968 Olympics.

    In 1982 — fourteen years later – Fregene was back in goal for Nigeria, for the Eagles’ defence of the Nations Cup win of 1980, in Bengahzi, Libya. Fregene “the cat” could be past his prime, with age not on his side. But his reflexes were still sharp enough to represent his country, as defending African Nations Cup champions.

    Fregene, therefore, is an authentic cultural champion and community hero, when football is the question. He was there when Stores were playing that provocative and audacious tiki-taka of the mid-to late 1960s. That sheer magic turned that club into the darling of Lagos fans. On the national scene, he was also there, though he had to share space with contemporary and great rival, Inuwa Rigogo. When against all odds, he made it as first choice Eagles goalkeeper in 1982, his place in Nigerian football history was settled – the most durable goaltender of them all!

    It is, therefore, a gash in the soul to see such a national treasure suffer in silence, for lack of funding for an ailment in his evening years. Fregene is said to be down with complications relating to stroke. Both cases, of Chukwu and Fregene, are perhaps not helped by the fact that they are proud gentlemen that cherish their privacy, but nevertheless had dutifully, in their youth, pressed their talents in the service of their country. You won’t therefore blame them, if they cringe at crying out for help – help they sorely need.

    Chukwu, however, has been lucky, despite his reticence. From a rather impressive reaction from Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, of Chukwu’s Enugu State; to Otedola’s noble intervention, the “Chairman” is in good hands.

    But so too, should be Fregene, with Nigeria’s surplus compassionate hearts. To start with, Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta State, Fregene’s home state, should show leadership in mobilising funds for the former goalkeeper. Then others, in and outside of sports, should join; for in his heyday, Fregene made all of us happy and proud. It is time therefore to pay back with our love.

    Beyond compassion, however, the Nigerian state ought to set up a vibrant, comprehensive and affordable health care system. The starting point is turning our hospitals round, to fulfill their mandate of citizens’ wellness. Rather than scurrying abroad, Nigerians should basically be treated at home, except those rare cases needing extra specialist help. The current trend is a national disgrace that must stop.

    But no less important is laying a viable and vibrant healthcare infrastructure. The scaffolding of such is already on: the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). What remains is effective implementation, and professional integrity of the whole gamut of health delivery workers, from the doctors to the most lowly support staff.  Also, with the insurance companies shorn of the notorious “Nigerian factor”, every premium holder should be able to access healthcare at affordable cost.

    If the NHIS were running and well, not only national heroes like Chukwu and Fregene, but also the nameless and the helpless would access healthcare without much hassles. Then health-wise, the nameless would not be helpless. That is the way to go.

  • ‘Help me get back my life’

    Adekunle Joseph Olatoye is in urgent need. He is to undergo surgery for total/partial excision of mass on his right eye.

    The 39-year-old business man has poured both his financial resources (Capital), and other investments into the treatment, yet good treatment eluded him. He has been examined, and assured by Fortis Hospitals Group, India that he will put the condition behind him, if he comes over.

    What stands between Olatoye and achieving a good health is the cost of surgery which is estimated at 6000 to 6500 US Dollars.

    Recounting his ordeal, Olatoye said in July 2016, he noticed his eyes being reddish. By September, he went to the hospital where he was asked to do MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging).

    Olatoye said he believed so such in the indigenous capacity of Nigerian doctors, “so even when my close associates told me not to settle for Nigerian health facilities, but to travel out to do the surgical intervention, I told them my mind. Now, I regret it, so I am back to square one. I need money now. I am scouting to raise the required amount. If I had listened, I would have gone outside and got treatment for value.

    “I approached a health facility, and was ordered to do an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), the MRI scan result showed that what was pushing out the eye is behind socket, and I was referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja. I was attended to by a team consisting of a consulatnt ophthalmologists and a consultant Surgeon. The team agreed that I need to undergo surgery, but cannot be done within the hospital because the equipment needed was not available,” recalled Olatoye.

    Olatoye was referred to, and went to a private hospital in Abuja last year February, and had the surgical intervention that cost four million naira. He diverted all his investment, and business capital into this surgery, with the hope that if there is life there is hope, and he will bounce back once he’s gained his health back.

    Alas, after two months, he discovered that the mass was still affecting his vision. He was back at the hospital.

    To his chagrin, Olatoye realised that, “nothing was removed. The hospital, told me that I needed radiation, but that I should go for it elsewhere because it has no radiation machine. Efforts to get the radiation treatment have been abortive. And I am back to square one,” he lamented.

    Olatoye said sundry diagnoses reports revealed that pre-surgery, he had a large retrobilbar mass in the right orbit resulting in the mild proptosis with local spread, including intra-cranial extension through the foramen and fissues, with remodeling of bones as described. Lymphoma (cancer) was queried but it was not.

    “Post surgery diagnosis indicated Angiomatous mengioma. Primary hemangioendo-thelioma is a strong differential because of the endotheliomatous growth pattern. In summary, the pathologists agreed it is a Sphenoid mass tumour. And if  it is a surgery expertly done that can free me of this”.

    Frustrated Olatoye searched for help on the internet, “So, I approached three hospitals in India. They all saw the test results, and gave me the quotation. The cheapest required 6000 to 6500 US Dollars, which includes a five-day stay in a sharing room at the hospital where an attendant can also stay with me. The medical tests  and  consultations; surgeon fees,  nursing care, medicines, and consumables, food for me, and airport transfers are all factored in”.

    Olatoye appealed that all and sundry, including people with milk of human kindness should rally round him to get this second surgical intervention done, “I am not a lazy person. I need my health back, to gain back my life. My children are all affected by this my condition as their schooling and wellbeing are affected. But I am hopeful that once I am back on my feet, I will pick up the pieces of my life, and re-establish myself.”

    Do you want to assist Olatoye. Call him on- 08120797096, visit him at No 31, Adeleke Odunuga St., Harmony Estate, Ifako, Agege, lagos. Or credit his account- Adekunle Joseph Olatoye- Zenith Bank, 2009545023.

     

  • ‘Your IVF success story can help others’

    ‘Your IVF success story can help others’

    •Group creates awareness on free IVF, endometriosis

    Why is it that couples who benefit from In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) do not  acknowledge it, but would rather go to religious gatherings to testify that it was a divine intervention?

    This is one of the questions agitating the mind of Mrs Tola Ajayi, the Clinic Manager of Nordica Fertility Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Speaking to The Nation  ahead of the centre’s 10th Anniversary, Mrs Ajayi said when such beneficiaries do not  tell others about the efficiency of IVF, but would rather attribute it  to divine grace, other fertility-challenged couples, especially women, who might have passed the age of conception, woud not know about IVF.

    “That alone is misleading and fuelling wrong assumption; as such couples will keep on believing that one day, it will be their turn, rather than coming forward to explore the options of assisted reproductive therapy (ART), especially IVF,” Mrs Ajayi said.

    She, however, agreed that everything about IVF’s success is divine because God is the great power that allows the implantation to take place.

    Quoting Deuteronomy 29: 29, Mrs Ajayi said IVF is backed by God because He gave its knowledge to man. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of. So, generations yet unborn will still come, and improve on IVF.

    ‘’Likewise Psalms 115: 16 says the highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to mankind. The New Living Translation puts it that the heavens belong to the LORD, but he has given the earth to all humanity. So, all these suggest that there is nothing to be ashamed of in IVF as a practice or beneficiaries.

    ‘’Babies born through IVF are normal healthy children that can be celebrated anywhere. Not disclosing benefits of IVF as a beneficiary keeps so many other potential beneficiaries in the dark, which is not too good, as they will keep on hoping against hope of that miracle pregnancy instead of taking a proactive step to enrol for IVF.’’

    Meanwhile, Nordica Fertility Centre and Fertility Treatment Support Foundation has announced Free Fertility Treatment Programme (FTSF) for couples.

    Speaking in Lagos, a Trustee of the Foundation Dr. Abayomi Ajayi and Mr. Onuora Molokwu, an Executive Member, said this year, the foundation would give out free treatments to 20 couples, who need treatment but are unable to afford it.

    According to them, the high cost of fertility treatment has remained a challenge for many couples and this has denied them the opportunity of accessing fertility treatment and the joy of completing their families.

    Molokwu said FTSF was encouraged by the results from its previous interventions in free fertility treatment, which have resulted in over 150 couples receiving free fertility screening and treatment. He urged interested couples to visit the foundation’s website or its social media handles to get information on how to apply.

    He urged well-meaning individuals and firms to join hands with the FTSF initiative to enable more couples enjoy the joy of parenthood.

    FTSF started operations as a non-profit organisation in 2008 with a mandate to provide free fertility screening and treatment to couples with a compelling infertility story, but are financially challenged.

    Last year, the body gave five couples free treatment. Of this number, two have been confirmed to be pregnant while one is scheduled to have a pregnancy test next week.

    “This year, we are planning to do 80 free screenings, from where we will select five couples every quarter, making a total of 20 for the year that will qualify for free treatment,” Ajayi said.

    And should endometriosis be the challenge, Ajayi said help is here as Endometriosis Support Group Nigeria (ESGN) is offering an opportunity to create awareness that will stem the tide of silence suffering.

    Ajayi, the Founder of the Group, said: ’’ It gives me pleasure to announce our programme of events for this year. This year, we are going to make significant in-roads to expand the awareness level of this condition among people across the country.”

    He said the group was working on partnering the private and public sector organisations to help reduce the ignorance around endometriosis as it severely affects the quality of life of sufferers, including  their relationships, noting that it is a common cause of infertility.

    Ajayi descibed endometriosis as a condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus — the endometrium — grows outside the uterus, typically on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, intestines or other areas in the pelvis.

    “In the past 12 years, we have championed this cause in Nigeria, and we have raised the consciousness about the condition among sufferers, medical practitioners, media and the general public. We believe this is a critical issue that needs to be addressed.

    ‘’Endometriosis, as you may be aware, is a debilitating condition which affects one in 10 women. It is, however, characterised by late diagnosis as most physicians tend to miss it,” he added.

  • Council chief seeks corporate organisations’ help

    The Executive Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Kayode Adejare Omiyale, has urged corporate organisations to partner the council to empower the residents.

    The council chief spoke at the distribution of 183 free eye glasses to pupils of public primary schools in the LCDA.

    He said: “When the idea to screen children for eye defects was brought before me, I hesitated a little bit before I embraced it. In my own personal opinion, I reasoned that pupils in primary schools had nothing to do with eye defects, because they were young and tender! To my amazement, out of about 1,000 pupils who went through the eye screening last year, 183 of them needed eyes glasses urgently to correct their eye defects.

    “This gathering today would not have been possible but for the tremendous supports we received from our partners, such as Catholic Optical, Visionspring, USAAID and Zenith Bank Plc. This is a clear indication that government alone cannot provide the needs of the populace.

    “I want to sincerely express our appreciation to the primary school authority, which graciously allowed us access to the pupils in their various schools.

    “I wish to call on our partners to extend this largesse to the public, especially those in dire need of corrective glasses but do not have the financial capability to purchase a pair; same for our workers in Yaba LCDA.

    “It is apparent that a child with eye defect will not be able to read or write. This is, in fact, the beginning of failure to most pupils.”

  • ‘Help our son to live’

    ‘Help our son to live’

    All Precious Iyanu Akinyemi need to live is N3,830,000. Precious has a hole in the heart, otherwise called rheumatic heart disease with severe mitral valve regurgitation. This is coupled with Large PDA (patent ductus arteriosus), and Pulmonary Hypertension.

    According to the father of 11-year-old Precious, Mr Bayo Akinyemi who is a driver, his child was admitted, last year, at the Paediatric Cardiology Unit of the prestigious Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba based on his not feeling too well, “on getting there he was subjected to different medical examinations, by the medical team. We did all the screenings and the final diagnosis revealed he has hole in the heart with hypertension. I and my wife, Bukola, who is an apprentice in  clothe selling have gone ahead to empty our life savings on the diagnosis, and medications, with the hope that our son will get well, alas, we were told he needed to undergo more screenings, and later, we were told it’s not possible in LUTH.”

    According to the consultant pediatrician, Prof Christy Okoromah Clinical evaluation of the child revealed that he has symptomatic Acquired Heart Disease, which was confirmed by echocardiography to consist of a severe miral regurgitation with moderate aortic regurgitation.

    She said the child will require further cardiovascular evaluation, and possible open heart surgery to correct his heart defects in order to forestall irreversible, and life threatening complications.  That can be done in India, which is the cheapest that can be found.

    Not giving up on Precious, the parents rallied round, including getting passport for travelling down to India but that was a dream yet to be visible, as all they could raise since last year and now is barely N300, 000.

    The parents contacted director and chief paediatric Cardiac surgeon at MIOT Hospitals, Chennai, India, Dr Robert Coelho who is ready to operate the child, for $10, 500. But the realisation of the money is yet to suffice.

    Dr Coelho said he evaluated the child based on the provisional diagnosis done in Nigeria, and it is a case his hospital can handle, which must be quickly done for Precious not to degenerate, and his hospital will be responsible for the reception, immigration formalities and departure of the patient and attendants on conclusion of the medical treatment of the patient, once the money is ready.

    The parents appealed to Nigerians to assist the family bear their cross in ensuring their 11-year-old son survives this ordeal. Nigerians with milk of Altruism can pay into the boy’s account number: Precious Iyanu Akinyemi- Zenith Bank-A/c No: 2050675988.

    Breakdown of the cost as given to Akinyemi by the Indian hospital is: Complete evaluation comprising of pre-operation investigations- X-ray, ECG, Echocardiography and pre-operation blood investigations (hematology, biochemistry, microbiology, and blood transfusion services cost $1000. Open heart Surgery (MV repair) package including surgery, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hospital stay, medication, post-operation investigations will cost $6500. Supplementary expenses, including attendant’s stay $1000. Cost of annuloplasty ring plus Valve prosthesis equals $2000. All these total $10, 5000. Precious’ expected total duration of stay in the hospital is 12 to 14 days.

     

  • Help for 50,000 AIDS patients

    Help for 50,000 AIDS patients

    •A timely FG policy that requires proper implementation

    President Muhammadu Buhari has committed its government to support treatment of 50,000 HIV/AIDS patients in a year. This pledge, made at a special event during the UN Assembly in New York on getting countries to work towards ending AIDS by 2030, indicates readiness of the government to add this number to 60,000 patients already receiving subsidy from a combination of sources that include donor funding and government assistance. Under this scheme, the government will provide anti-retroviral treatment for 50,000 patients each year.

    This pledge is timely in view of the heavy reliance on donors for such treatment. Although a modest commitment in relation to the total number of people estimated to have HIV/AIDS, the move is still encouraging, especially that hundreds of patients are paying out-of-pocket for the expensive drugs and procedures required by AIDS patients. Currently, Nigeria is estimated as having about three million people with the infection, with close to one million already receiving treatment made possible by a cocktail of funding sources: out-of-pocket payment, donors’ funds and government assistance.

    President Buhari’s enthusiasm is unmistakable in the announcement of his government’s resolve to join forces with foreign donors to fight this deadly disease: “We recognise the impact of the global financing environment and the need for shared responsibility in order to end AIDS in Nigeria by 2030. Thus, we have committed to increase domestic resourcing of the AIDS response. In the light of this, the government of Nigeria is committed to maintain the current 60,000 plus clients on life saving medicines and an additional 50,000 new clients per year.”Also re-assuring is the president’s promise to work with partners to conduct a national population-based HIV survey to gather new evidence to guide Nigeria’s response, and to urge states to contribute to HIV funding and provide leadership for the establishment of a private sector Trust Fund to fight this disease.

    Given that people with HIV/AIDS are also susceptible to tuberculosis, government’s plan must include provision for this costly collateral effect. With other challenges competing for the government’s attention: poor performance of primary health care (PHC), perennial fight against malaria, inadequate health insurance coverage for citizens, and periodic outbreaks of meningitis, Lassa fever, and cholera, it is commendable that the government wants to join other countries to support treatment of few of the many patients of HIV/AIDS infection.

    In the past, there have been complaints that aid funds for treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS have been abused, just as similar complaints have been made about management of funds and supplies for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). It is, therefore, imperative that the Federal Government monitor effectively management of funds allocated for procuring anti-retroviral drugs for efficiency and transparency. The government must also ensure equity in identification of those that will benefit from this special assistance.

    Year 2030 is around the corner and efforts to end this deadly infection require in addition to providing subsidy for patients, intensification of campaign about the dangers of citizens’ involvement in practices that cause HIV/AIDS.  By 2015, new HIV infections had reduced by 35%, certainly a result of governments’ HIV education and prevention campaigns. More efforts still need to be put into this strategy by including many more Nigerian languages in design and propagation of HIV/AIDS education programmes. States and local governments ought to be encouraged to increase and improve strategies for well-coordinated AIDS-related health education and prevention services.

    We particularly urge the Federal Government to give needed support for immediate gathering of accurate evidence to assist in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other diseases. All subnational governments should be made to key into this initiative. The country’s health care financing and management can benefit from efficient evidence-based planning for all health challenges.

  • HELP! Our kinsmen are still missing!

    HELP! Our kinsmen are still missing!

    RESIDENTS of Esuk Utan community in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, woke up to a horror they never imagined on Sunday. A tank farm fire outbreak claimed no fewer than 11 lives, injured many other people and destroyed properties worth millions of naira. Worst hit by the fire incident was the community’s fishing settlement on the waterfront.

    The Calabar Free Zone Enterprise in Esuk Utan Community is host to several tank farms belonging to different companies. The fire outbreak, The Nation gathered, resulted from some illegal activities in one of the tank farms.

    It was learnt that a vessel was supplying premium motor spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol to two of the tank farms around 2 am. The ship, which was on the river downhill, was supplying the product through pipes that passed through the premises of both tank farms. The distance between the ship and the tank farm was said to be about one kilometre.

    While the supply was going on, a staff of one of the tank farms, who it was gathered was not supposed to be on duty on the night, opened the pipes inside their premises to siphon petrol. Something went wrong in the process and the pressure knocked him down. He died on the spot.

    The incident resulted in free flow of petrol which then filled the premises and flowed into gutters back into the river and into the upland host community, Esuk Utan. This was around 4 am. Some members of the community who perceived the smell of petrol woke up only to find that a stream of the product flowing through their gutters. They then decided to scoop some. Unfortunately, a spark occurred in the scramble for the highly flammable product, setting off a fire that killed some of them on the spot.

    The fire followed the path of the petrol through the gutters back to the vessel that supplied it, but the men on board managed to stop the fire from engulfing the vessel, using sophisticated fire fighting equipment. But the Esuk Utan fishing community located not far away from the vessel was not that lucky. The settlement, which also serves as a fish market, was razed. Seven of the residents lost their lives on the spot, according to eyewitnesses. Several wooden canoes and engine boats were also caught in the inferno.

    When our reporter visited the community, the strong smell of petrol still hung in the air. Members of the fishing community lamented that since the incident occurred, no one had come to see how they were faring. They complained that the incident had polluted the water and ruined their fishing business. They complained that petroleum spillage on the water has been frequent while their complaints over the years have fallen on deaf ears. They said besides the seven people that died in the community, some others were still missing. They also lamented that with their fishing equipment, engine boats and canoes razed in the incident, they had nothing to fall back on to sustain their source of livelihood.

    Narrating the community’s experience, the leader of the fishing community, Chief Edet Okwung, who spoke through the youth leader and fisherman, Mr Akpan Sunday Obeten, said: “It was around 4 am on Sunday morning when the incident occurred. We heard serious explosions and did not understand where it came from. In fact, I thought it was the Biafra and Nigeria war as I have been hearing that they want to divide the country. The explosions continued and there was fire everywhere. We ran to the river and I tried to escape in the canoe with my small boy, but I saw fire in the river. We had to run back. So many people who did not know ran into the fire as they were trying to escape. Many people who were coming back from their fishing expedition also ran into the fire and died.

    “We thank God it happened during a low tide. If it was high tide, the water would be coming towards the village and not one person would have escaped it. Everybody in this community would have been killed.

    “Since the incident, no one has come to offer any assistance. Even the company that caused this problem has not come to see us. It burnt our boats and fishing materials to ashes and no one has come to see how we are faring. Nothing has been done since we do not have anybody who can fight for us.

    “There is still petrol on our waters, and it has affected our business. A lot of fishes have died because of the spillage. So many fishes inside our fish traps also died because of the spillage.

    “So many spillages have happened here. This incident is not the first here, but when we run to the companies for assistance, we get nothing from them. This is not the first or second time. The government should assist us. We have even gone to court over the spillage problem. The companies have never come here to clean up or compensate or even talk to us.”

    The Secretary of the fishing community, Mr Harry Kanu, also said: “It has been spilling and the companies have been doing nothing about it. Now this one has spilled and killed so many people. We are still putting our heads together to see the way forward, to see how we can approach the matter so that we get the right attention.

    “If the companies comply by compensating us on this particular matter, I don’t think there is any need to go to court. But if they neglect us, that is when we would take a step forward. They should come and compensate us for all the damages done. And for the people that died they should come and compensate the families.

    “About seven people died from this community. Some people are still missing as we speak. The fire caught some people and they dived into the river and died there because they could not swim. There are people missing right now that we cannot account for.

    “What I think should be done is that after compensating the dwellers here and those that lost their people, the government should step in and try to give the companies guidelines on how to operate, because spillage is affecting aquatic life here. Many fishes have been dying. Many times, we see that the fishes in our fish traps have died. When the water ebbs, you see dead fish along the shore of the river.

    “Anytime there is spillage, all the fish in the water would die. It is affecting our business and also our health, because when there is spillage like that, we cannot even get water from the stream. So it is hazardous to our health too.”

    Mr Effiong Kalu, who lost his elder brother, Ekpenyong, in the fire threatened legal action.

    He said: “We did not even know. All of us were sleeping. Some people were coming back from fishing when we started perceiving the smell of petrol. We started running, then suddenly we heard explosions. We tried to run by crossing the river with our boats, but that was when we saw the fire in the water. It was everywhere.

    “My brother was coming back from fishing when he met the fire that killed him. There are people that have been floating in the water who we do not recognise. We have seen two. Since we don’t know them, we cannot retrieve their bodies so that we would not have problems.

    “We do not know how many people are missing right now because this is a fishing community and many people come here to fish from other places. So, right now, we have no idea how many, but some people are missing. I would be taking the company to court since the company has not come to tell us anything. That is why we want to make this move.”

    Also narrating his experience, another fisherman from the community, Mr Bassey Edet, said: “We were sleeping and some of our brothers were fishing. It was around 3 am. Suddenly, we heard the smell of fuel and fuel was floating on the water. After some time, we heard an explosion. The fire exploded from the top and came down to where we were staying. The fire came down, killed our brothers and destroyed our boats. There was fire everywhere and it was so high.

    “As it is, there is still petrol on the water. It has killed a lot of fish and destroyed our boats. We cannot do any fishing around here and our boats have all been destroyed. The government should appreciate the families of those who lost loved ones.

    “They should produce our fishing equipment, because we lost all our fishing equipment. They should also do something about the spill on our water that is affecting our business and our health. Nobody has come here to do anything to alleviate our suffering.”

    A council member of Esuk Utan Community, Elder Bassey Edem Bassey, called for assistance for the community.

    He said: “We want to call on the state and federal governments, other voluntary organisations and NGOs to come to the aid of our community as it has been happening in other states and communities and government has been intervening and helping.

    “I can recall what happened at Nyaghassang at the viewing centre, where so many souls were lost and government intervened and compensated the families. Government should also come to our aid and see how they can help us in this community.

    “Also government should invite the community to a roundtable discussion, because on a daily basis, we keep having spillage. Government should see how it can compensate the residents of this environment who are affected by this spillage.

    “Government should do something because we are all Nigerians. They should do something to stop the spillage because it kills fishes and spoil our materials. It does not only stop in this environment. Because it is water, it may go up and down and affect other communities.”

    The Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA), Mr Emmanuel Jime, has donated the sum of N2 million for the treatment of survivors of the incident at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).

    He said an investigation would be launched and anyone found culpable would be sanctioned by NEPZA according to the law.

    The Chief Medical Director of UCTH, Dr Thomas Agan, who had appealed for more support to take care of the victims, said so far, 10 of the victims had died.

    “Six were brought in dead when the incident occurred. Eleven were managed with very severe burns between 50 and 90 per cent, which is quite extensive. Four of them as at today are dead and seven are alive with various degrees of burns,” Agan said.

    Also, the Management of Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ) has commended fire fighting workers in the zone for effectively extinguishing the fire at the tank farm.

    In a meeting of the zone’s management with investors, Jime, through the General Manager of CFTZ, Engr. Godwin Ekpe, commended the fire fighters for their effort in extinguishing the fire and avoiding a more colossal loss.

  • Delta State needs urgent help

    IR: Tom Huddleston once opined that – ‘‘we all have two lives. The second one starts when we realize we only have one.’’

    Delta State was carved out of  the former Bendel State on August  27,  1991. The state was created following agitations for the  creation  of  separate  distinct  state  by  the Urhobos and Anioma regions.

    Delta State has had the privilege of having governors from Chief James Ibori in May 1999-2007; Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan  2007 – 2015,  to  the  present, Dr  Ifeanyi  Okowa  May  2015  till  date.

    Without  mincing  words,  we  the great people of Delta State  have  been  the  worse off,  as she  is grappling  a  huge  debt burden  of  over  N 600 billion  owing  to  the 18 years of PDP maladministration.

    The  lavish,  wasteful  spending  and  massive  borrowing  have  plunged  the  state  to  a  sorry  state  of  disrepair, backwardness  in spite  of  her  huge  resources  and  economic  diversity.

    When  it  comes  to  development,  three  main  factors  call  to  mind:  accumulation  of  capital,  productive  labour  input  and  technological  advancement.

    From  the  Federation  Account,  Delta  State  receives  about  N300  billion annually, hence can boast of available  funds. For  productive  manpower,  the  state  ranks  as the 12th  most  populated  state  with  a  population  of  above  four  million,  so  it is blessed with  the  requisite manpower  to  prosecute  a  great  economic  agenda.  And  as  for  technological  advancement,  it  is  generally  assumed  that technological  advancement  is  even  more  important  than  capital  formation  which  is  limited,  for  a  state  that  spends  more  on  science  and  research  will  tend  to  grow  faster than  those  in  pursuit  of  capital.

    A  week  ago,  militants  told  the  governor, Ifeanyi  Okowa  to  account  for  the  13%  derivation  fund  accrued  to  the  oil -producing areas  which  amounts  to  an  average  of  N4  billion  monthly  from  the  federal  government ,  totalling  N48 billion  in  12 calendar  months,  yet  Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) has been starved of funds, with no meaningful  projects  in  the  oil producing  areas;  meanwhile the state is  indebted  to  workers, pensioners  whom  have  given  their  productive  years  in  the  service of the  state are  being  left  out  in  the  cold.

    This isn’t the leadership we deserve. The state is in need of urgent transformation and help.

    It  is  in  times  like these that  the  words  of  Publilius  Syrus  becomes  apt  ‘’ from  the  errors  of  others,  a  wise  man corrects  his  own’’.

     

    • Wonder O. Akpeki,

    Sapele,  Delta  State.