DETERMINED to bring an end to the pollution of Rivers State
environment, the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, on Friday ordered the
arrest of 15 mechanics engaged in illegal burning of used tyres and condemned
engine oil.
The governor ran into the mass illegal burning of tyres and
condemned engine oil on Aba Road around the Oyigbo axis while returning from
Oyigbo where he attended the funeral service of late Sir Precious Oforji. Wike
was attracted by the inferno which emitted a tick smoke into the atmosphere.
He directed his motorcade to stop, went into the large
mechanic workshop, where the mechanics had used an open field to burn the tyres
and condemned engine oil.
Wike, who was in the company of the former Acting National
Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, Rivers State PDP Chairman, Chief Felix
Obuah, and former Rivers State Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia, directed the
State Fire Service to put out the fire.
He also stated that immediate steps be taken to ensure that
the fire did not spread to neighbouring houses in the area.
On the arrest of the mechanics polluting the environment,
the governor maintained that the state government would liaise with relevant
security agencies to ensure they are prosecuted.
According to Wike, his administration was working with
stakeholders to ensure that the soot polluting the atmosphere is brought under
control.
He said, “Nobody will be allowed to endanger the lives of
the people of the state through harmful environmental practices.
“I assure the people of Rivers State that the task force set
up to tackle the soot has been duly empowered to ensure that the state’s
environment is safe for all residents.”
It will be recalled that the state had been dealing with a
black substance known as soot, which had been pervading some parts of the
state.
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