- Nigeria is not a dump site for deadly wastes. The latest incident in Koko, Delta State, should be probed and urgently treated
Almost two decades after noxious wastes were dumped in Koko, Delta State, there are suggestions that another consignment of deadly wastes, probably imported, have found their way to the town again. It is alarming that despite the frightening implications of playing hosts to such agents of death freely laid out when last the wastes were shipped to the town, a repeat could take place.
We are disturbed that, under the watchful eyes of the community leaders, indigenes, residents and law enforcement agents, such toxic discharges could be taken to the sleepy town or any other part of Nigeria again. We call on the authorities to ensure that this is the last time such a development would be allowed. To prevent a repeat, a thorough investigation, involving law enforcement agencies, the community, environmental protection experts and scientists should commence without delay.
We agree with the Itsekiri Environmental and Human Rights Group that the effects of such inhuman acts are too grave to be ignored. The group said their experience in June 1988 when the evil shipping was first made indicated that it causes pollution of surface and underground water, as well as failing sight, stomach upset and skin diseases. In serious cases, death could result.
There are standard ways of handling waste all over the world. In the United States of America and other parts of the industrial nations, dump sites are carefully selected, procedure for handling and storing them strictly laid out and handlers specially selected, trained and kitted for the purpose. The procedures emerged from experience and have been codified in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 1976
The least any country in the South could do is adopt, through legislation, such strict processes. In Cote D’Ivoire, after a September 2006 outbreak of sundry diseases following the dumping of toxic waste in 12 areas in Abidjan, the country launched a probe, ordered elaborate laboratory tests and took action that left no one in doubt that such callous acts were unacceptable.
In Nigeria, about 173 evacuators of the 1988 toxic waste petitioned the government over the disregard they suffered after they were used for the assignment. They claimed that 40 of those who participated had died, six in critical health conditions and others suffering one ailment or the other from time to time. This is an indication of the disdain with which issues involving Nigerian citizens are handled. We call on the Federal Government to urgently look into the petition, order proper medical treatment of the sick and compensate them all for patriotically rising up to perform a national assignment.
We commend the House of Representatives for responding swiftly to the incident by ordering the Committees on the Environment, Petroleum Resources, Upstream and Gas to launch a probe and report to plenary within four weeks. As representatives of the people, this is the least they should do. We hope they will invite leaders of the community, officials of the Customs Service and the police to account for the part they played and steps they have taken.
But, beyond the case at hand, issues related to the environment should be better handled. Our cities have wastes littering the streets and the drainages, while construction works are conducted without Environmental Impact Assessment. This ought to stop. We also call on the people to be more vigilant and patriotic. It was established in 1988 that some people were paid to have the waste exported by an Italian company sited in Koko. That could have been a product of ignorance and greed. Government at all levels should therefore step up enlightenment programmes on waste generation, treatment and disposal.
Hazardous waste, whether generated locally or externally, cannot be tolerated by any country that loves its people and looks forward to joining the developed world.
