FG releases N22.4m to study air quality in six cities

The federal government has released N22.4 million to undertake air quality studies in six cities in Nigeria.Mr Ahmed Alfa, Deputy Director, Pollution Control, Federal Ministry of Environment, made the disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday .

Yar Adua

He said that the fund would be used in carrying out the studies and buying some basic equipment needed for monitoring vehicular emission in Maiduguri, Port Harcourt, Aba, Lagos, Kano and Abuja. He said that the monitoring of air quality was a vital issue that must be given serious attention by the government. “If adequate monitoring is given to air quality in Nigeria, it will help reduce the effect of climate change and sicknesses, such as asthma and cancer, among others.

“If we can ascertain the quality of air in Nigeria, we will be able to develop an action plan to back it up,’’ he said. Alfa expressed satisfaction that the present administration was according priority to air quality management unlike in the past when it was neglected. He said the National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency was also collaborating with stakeholders to monitor air quality.