Dr. Rose Alani, an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Lagos and leader of the Air Quality Monitoring Group, alongside a group of researchers from the University of Lagos on Saturday 11th of April 2024, organised a sensitisation section on Air quality awareness campaign for the people of Ago Egun Community in Ilaje, Bariga.
This event commemorated and created awareness of Air Quality Week 2024, themed: “Knowing Your Air”, as the researchers join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the entire globe in the Air Quality Awareness week campaign, under an AFRETEC funded IDT project.
This awareness highlighted advocating for clean air, enlightening the people of Ago Egun Community on the impacts of air pollution on health, and informing the communities on stopping air pollution through the collaborative efforts of everyone.
Speaking at the event, Taiwo Adegbaju, a team member, said that the air they breathe is unhealthy for them because of the things they do like smoking fish, which is their main source of income. “Children will not notice the effects until they grow up and the hazards will start telling on them.
A community resident said they are used to the smoke from fish, and it does not affect them. Fish smoking is their only source of livelihood and there are no alternatives.
“The air is a carrier of diseases like stroke, cough, asthma, and many others. An asthma patient can easily get triggered from the kind of air we breathe, even smokers while sitting with you and you inhale the smoke, it can affect your kidney and heart just inhaling it,” she said.
Another resident said that many things trigger bad air, such as personal hygiene and smoky areas.
Adegbaju on asking the residents what are the things they do in the community that cause bad air to their health, and to a general response, they said: “Exhaust from Generator is part of them but the market women that sells fish should create a gateway for the smoke to be going out, otherwise, it would cause bad air and it will affect health,” they stressed.
Meanwhile, a resident raised the issue of things they lack in the community and urged the government to come to their aid. “We lack water in this area, the government should help provide water for us.
“The government should help in providing dustbins or where to dispose our refuse to prevent refuse burning in our community and we need clean water in our community,” she said.
On why smoking fish is the only source of business in the community and why they don’t even know the effect of the air they breathe, a resident said that the parents do this business because it’s the only thing they know and it was used in sending them to school, but their parents need education, (adult education) because if they get the knowledge, most of the things happening won’t be happening.
Fatimah Afolabi, another member of the air pollution team, said that they need to cub the smoke but how are they going to make that happen?
In response to her question, a resident said that if there’s a way the government can create a center or an area for the market women to smoke their fish, it would help in cubing the bad air in the community.
Commending the efforts of the participants, Alani thanked them and promised to do her best to make it known to the public and government of their needs through the media.
Dr Alani also engaged the participants on the importance of breathing healthy air. She said: “Always try to cover your nose while smoking fish because it has to do with our lives, our children, and all our loved ones.
“The carbon monoxide that comes from the generator kills one in less than five minutes and it makes one feel headache and drowsy.
“When smoking fish, try not to have your child with you, especially nursing mothers, avoid carrying your child on your back because their lungs are not matured yet to take in the smoke from the fish,” Dr Alani said.
Finally, the group went to Baale’s house to thank him and also engage him on how far he had gone in letting the government know their situation. The Baale said they have been living in that area for over 50 years and that government has been promising them, but they barely do anything for them.
“They promised us light, it was only one pole of a solar pan that is here. We have not had light since we moved in here and the borehole water they promised was dug halfway and abandoned,” he said.
The Baale thanked the organisers and promised to welcome them to the community anytime they choose to come.
By Benprince Ezeh
08068599879
Send Us News, Gist, more... to citypeopleng@gmail.com | Twitter: @CitypeopleMagz
