Onitsha Environmental Degradation Can be Remediated- By Emeka Chiakwelu

Posted by admin Anambra, Articles, Columnists, Emeka Chiakwelu, NNP Columnists, State News Friday, October 21st, 2016

By Emeka Chiakwelu | NNP | October 21, 2016 – The senior partner of an environmental company – Texas Storm and Engineering, Mr. Emeka Chiakwelu has said that environmental degradation in Anambra State, particularly the moribund air quality and pollution in Onitsha can be averted with a balanced and comprehensive environmental remediation.

Chiakwelu is familiar with the state of affairs in Anambra State and
Nigeria, for he is also the founding director of the public policy
organization AFRIPOL that advocate and render analysis on the policies for African wellbeing.

Reacting to the news that Onitsha, the major commercial city in Anambra
was named the most polluted city in the world, which did not sit well with
Chiakwelu.

“Although my ancestral home town is Umuoji in Idemili but Onitsha still
holds a soft spot because I was born and raised in Onitsha Ado. My father,
Late Chief S. A. Chiakwelu was a pioneer business man in Onitsha since
1936. And Onitsha being a major commercial city needs a better image and
public relation to attract 21 century investments.” Chiakwelu said.

He continues, “I have the opportunity to work in the government of
Houston, as environmental investigation expert for more than 10 years
before I joined the private industry. And I can use my expertise to aid in
ameliorating air pollution in Onitsha and remediation of environmental
degradation in Anambra State,” he concluded.

Few months ago, UK Guardian reported that “the most polluted city in the
world, according to the WHO data, is Onitsha, a fast-growing port and
transit city in south-eastern Nigeria that recorded levels of nearly 600
micrograms per cubic metre of PM10s – around 30 times the WHO recommended
level of 20 micrograms per cubic metre… the data only includes
measurements for particulates and does not include forms of air pollution
such as NO2 and ozone. ”

“Particulate matter,” also known as particle pollution or PM, is a complex
mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particle
pollution is made up of a number of components, including acids (such as
nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust
particles.

In addition, many parts of Anambra State are littered with erosion
gullies. The industrious government of Anambra is working on those
problems with limited resources; any additional help will be good.wp_posts