Adedayo Emmanuel
An environmentalist, Mr. Ekoko John has urged residents of Lagos to keep their environment clean as the city is already ranked between 1st and 4th most polluted cities in Africa.
Ekoko gave this statistic last Friday during the 2019 Hackathon event at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) Ikeja, Lagos.
According to him, Lagos is ranked among the four cities in top position among the top 10 worst cities in Africa for air pollution and something drastic must be done to change the narratives.
Another environmentalist at the event and coordinator of Eko Free Health Mission, Dr. Adedolapo Fashawe also said that human action is responsible for climate change which is now a global phenomenon.
She stated that humans are responsible for climate change due to the way they liter the environment with waste products including nylon bags, plastic wastes which block drainages and cause flood in the communities.
The environmentalist also made it known that if recyclers engage in purchasing of waste products, there would be minimal pollution in Lagos because residents would start keeping their waste products for sale.
However, she encouraged residents not to dump their waste products but to recycle them when recyclable.
“We should leave the drain clear. 97% of climate change is caused by nature while 3% is caused by humans. We must take action to reduce the 3% action based on habit and ignorance,” she said.
Another speaker at the event, Nana Okori, made a presentation on prevention of air pollution in the society. She emphasised the advantages of solar energy in the homes. She also advised students who engage in reading with candles or kerosene lantern against such practice.
“What we inhale in candle light and kerosene lantern can be compared to what we inhale from cigarette smokers,” she said.
Okori however promised to give students present at the forum a unit each of solar reading lamp.
Newton Jibunor, AKA Desert Warrior at the event interacted with the audience on how to prevent air pollution and also prevent human lungs from harmful substances.
“80% of urban residents are exposed to air pollution. When you put on your glasses and walk by a place there is traffic, when you get to your destination, check the glasses, it would be dusty.
“People unknowingly inhale harmful substances which affect their lungs. The lungs are meant to take in soluble materials,” he said.
