Imo state Is On The Verge Of Environmental Transformation – Njoku

Dr. Ikechukwu Njoku is a man of many feathers. Currently, he is the Imo State pioneer commissioner Ministry of Environment in this interview with EVEREST EZIHE in Owerri he was able to give credence and raise hope of imolites for the global order in terms of the state efforts for environmental protection and transformation. It is an information seasoning and truly spiced with the onion of wholistic efforts towards a positive environmental revolution. It’s a must read historical document of facts.

Sir, may you avail yourself to our numerous readers?

I am Dr. Ikechukwu Vitalis Njoku, I am from Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area and by the grace of God and magnanimity of Governor Hope Uzodimma, I am the pioneer Commissioner for Ministry of Environment in Imo State.

Commissioner Sir, considering the importance of environmental protection in the global economy and the new world order, can we have an insight into the scope of your job?

This is very interesting and fascinating job. Our major assignment is bringing the state and her populace back to nature, the people must stay green and be close to nature. Recall that the Federal Government of Nigeria also placed premium interest on issues concerning environment and its protection. Thus, Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stated it clearly on the environmental objectives, which entails that states shall protect and improve their environment and environment includes air, water, land, forestry and wild life .

This tend to justify that environmental issue is encompassing, it all means that every where you are, environment is involved. Our sole responsibility is to protect and improve our environment, in the overall interest and benefits of mankind. Thus why we are deeply involved in every issue concerning flooding, ecological matters, solid,minerals, oil and gas etc, we are not looking at all these from the content’s point of view rather from the environmental hazards they are constituting if you go around the oil communities in Imo state, you will now appreciate the environmental hazards and degradation we are facing. When the oil companies are drilling oil, there is gas flaring, this is pollution.

These have immensely effected the climatic changes, when gas is flared, they release toxic gases which is more of and methane. These organisms are very toxic to the environment, our duty is to work hard to control gas flaring in those areas. We are equally concerned on oil spillages and pipe line vandalization, these causes pollution into our water and aquatic regions, we have UNIDO laboratory which we are seriously planning to reactivate so that we can now conviniently test the water, air and the soil. There is need for us to test the water for total hydro carbon concentration and the way it effects our water because the World Health Organisation (WHO)has a limit and when we noticed that the limit has been exceeded, we call the oil company to order. We test what we call the five chemical components of water to avert it being injurious to our acquatic animals and human beings who are living around there.

Again we have heavy metals from oil that often gets into our soil which if not properly handled it could effect agricultural produce thus increasing hunger in the society. If you go to most of the oil producing communities and look at their leaves, you will see carbon sooth these are environmental hazards coming from oil and gas. Truly, our concern is the environment and not the content of the oil and gas. It s in Exclusive list but the environment is in our purview.

Talking about environmental protection are imolites now poised to see the era of planting trees on the major roads and streets of the state?

Weare going into tree plantation before the end of this September, the proposalis already with the Governor, one of the importance of tree planting is that itmitigates climatic change. It equally absorbs carbondioxeds for photosynthesisand releases oxygen into the system. It purifies the air we inhale. The goodnews is that the more trees we planted the more we offer nature an opportunity to purify the airwe breathe in. the tree planting is an important panacea in checkmating erosion, flooding and controls the trapping of heavy metals. Another thing which is very important to us is that through the tree planting we will be able to remove toxic wastes and gases like methane and we have enough oxygen after photosynthesis. Thus why, if you go to the zoo you the ecological garden, you will equally see animals living in the ecosystem, you will definitely appreciate nature as trees are planted in clusters.

Thetrees there are for environmental purification and medicinal purposes. The treeplanting will help the State a lot especially this period of climate change. Itwill help in mitigating the environmental hazards like pollution. Honestly,pollution is an enemy to mankind because it effects our health seriously.Pollution has been discovered as one of the sources of cancer, lung diseasesetc.

There are three principal causes of infection: inhalation, injection andingestion, which means it is either you eat it, either enter through your skinor through the nose, so most environmental hazard causes pollution. Even thewaste we dump along the roads, atimes it’s naturally heated up it bursts and produces methane gase which isequally injurious to health. Sincerely speaking, Ministry is focused on cleaning the environment.

Presently,we are having problem with dredgers and miners, obviously, dredging and mining of sand and borrow pitting is effecting our environment so badly causing erosion, degrading and eroding the soil more so damaging the acquatic areas, causing a lot of nuisance problems. Thank God we have recently gotten approval from the state government to relocate them from Owerri capital development territories to areas where we are sure they will not cause any hazard and damages in the next 20 years. This we are now working out before the end of the month (September), we must endeavor to relocated them to suitable sites and if they don’t want to leave then, it is no longer the state government headache, they must then arrange and get suitable place for themselves and with approval of the state government, do the environmental impact analysis, do the needed developmental agreement with the persons or communities involved and the seek permission to go to the federal Ministry of Mines and solicit for license(s). the procedures must be followed and strictly adhere to.

Imo state have over 300 erosion sites, immediately after this interview I am going to Amakohia ubi in Ikeduru LGA to look at the erosion site and make necessary assessment and recommendations. The other day, I was at Obohia towards Ugirike, erosion has caught off the road, the 4th inland bridge is equally cut-off by erosion. The same thing at Nwaorie River, back of Federal University of education (aka-Alvan) Owerri, is cut-off. The problem of erosion in Imo State is overwhelming. It is important to let our people learn how to live in a sustainable clean environment.

Sir, the way you talk, you make people who know you to be confused because most people know you as an astute and dogged politician others sees you as a medical personnel but here you sound more as an Environmentalist, what is your professional background?

Iam a Medical Laboratory Scientist by profession. My Master’s degree is in Medical Entomology and Medical Parasiteology and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Medical Parasiteology specializing in Medical Entomology.

Whenyou talk about Medical Labouratory Science, you talk about Public Health, you talk about the environment because, it is part of it and you talk about diagnosing diseases and these diseases comes from the environment. The gospel truth isthat every well trained Medical Labouratory Scientist can fit in as an Environmentalist. We study diseases, viruses, pandemics, we do a lot. Honestly,it is my background that exposed me into doing good job at the Ministry of Environment because having under studied the job schedule and I appreciates thenitty gritty of the job.

Sir, your Ministry is considered asgrade A Ministry, considering the enormous responsibilities entrusted to you,what are the challenges?

Mygreatest challenge is the nature of human beings, full of disobiedience. Forinstance, if you go to Miners and tell them to please leave this environment,it is no longer professionally conducive for mining jobs what will they do, theleave the site in the morning and sinks in in the night to continue their miningactivities unperturbed. Moreso, people often deceives them, by telling them that they arefrom one government agency or the other and they should not listening to the Commissioner and they deceive them and most often exploits their ignorance.

Itis unfortunate, that an average imolite believes in bribery and corruption asagainst sincerity of purpose. You go to the oil producing communities, youwill noticed that the oil companies have as a matter of selfish interest, strategically divided the youths, the traditional rulers, the stakeholders etc.the community leadership lacks unity of purpose and are busy fightinginternal wranglings at the benefits of the oil companies management. This is why it hasbecome extremely difficult to do the needful because people are no longerreliable and trust worthy. However, the good news is that the government ofSenator Hope Uzodimma is fundamentally instituted to change the narratives. Itis no longer business as usual. We are committed to environmentaltransformation and development by carrying the people along. It is equallyimportant to reiterate in the minds of the doubting Thomases, that thisgovernment is divinely driven and nobody can change it. The government havecome to stay and people have no better alternative than to cooperate and besupportive because Governor Uzodimma sincerely means well to the State and her populace.If you fight the government, the State will loose , but if you are supportiveand probably wait till 2024, the State and her populace will be the mostbeneficiary of the Shared Prosperity and 3R mantra of the government. Thepeople were praying for hope and God gave them Senator Hope Uzodimma, thereforehope has come and let us with our two hands and open mind embrace Hope and allwill be well with us.

Hon. Iyke Njoku, the Imo State Commissioner for Environment.