From left: Executive Coordinator, Okoro Emmanuel; Iyke Ahaka, both of of MAJI, and Philip Jakpor, Executive Director, Rene vlynDevelopment Initiative, RDI, at the briefing.
An advocacy group, the Media Awareness and Justice Initiative, MAJI, has raised the alarm over rising Particulate Matter, PM, pollution across 10 communities in Lagos State.
MAJI raised the alarm in a report titled: “The Unseen Risk”, presented to journalists in Lagos on Wednesday.
The affected communities, according to the report, include Idasho, Itoke, Lekuru, Mosa, Okesegun, Okeyatta, Okunraye and Olomowewe in Ibeju Lekki area of the state.
The Executive Coordinator of MAJI, Okoro Emmanuel, said they analysed air quality data collected between April and September 2024 in Ibeju Lekki area.
“A total of 8,044 data sampling entries were collected from the communities. The types of air quality data collected and compiled during this period include PM, humidity, pressure and temperature and Air Quality Index, AQI.
“These environmental changes, linked to industrial activities around the area, have far-reaching implications for biodiversity, community health, and Nigeria’s commitments to global climate agreements.
“Despite pledging a 20 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 under the Paris Agreement, the country’s continued reliance on fossil fuels exacerbates environmental degradation, the executive coordinator lamented.
“Nigeria currently ranks fourth globally in poor air quality and leads Africa in air pollution-related deaths, according to an August 2023 report by Euronews,” he added.
Some solutions MAJI put forward include empirical environmental data collection by government agencies; deployment of real-time environmental monitoring systems in the affected communities; baseline health audits for residents near the industrial area; public disclosure of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, ESIA, reports and promotion of inclusive dialogue between rural communities and stakeholders.
Particulate Matter, PM, is a generic term for solids or liquids suspended in the air. It can include dust, mist, or fumes.
PM becomes a health risk in industrial settings because it will be made up of, largely, industrial wastes, which can be inhaled and result in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, among other health challenges.
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