The need to mitigate the adverse impact of gas flaring on the health of indigenes of gas impacted communities in Delta State has been stressed.
A Nongovernmental organisation, Peace and Community Empowerment Initiative (PCEI) stated this during a training for selected communities in Ughelli North and South.
The training which was tagged, “Mitigating The Impact of Gas Flaring on the Health of Rural Dwellers in Omavowve, Owevwe, Gana, Otu-Jeremi and Iwhrekan communities” was centred on teaching the community people a safe method of drying tapioca with oven as against the harmful practice of drying tapioca with poisonous heat from gas flare.
Speaking at the ceremony, the facilitator and the Executive Director of Jennifer Okotie Development Initiatives (JODI), Jennifer Okotie, expressed concern over the adverse impact of the gas flaring on the health of the indigenes of the flare impacted communities.
She said that women, who oftentimes dry tapioca with the heat from the flare expose their health to severe harm, adding that the training was designed to enlighten them on safe alternative for the women to dry their tapioca without exposing themselves to the hazard from gas flaring.
Okotie who is also the Delta State Coordinator for Partners for Peace in the Niger-Delta, stated that the training programme was supported by Global GreenGrant Fund and Oilwatch.
In her remarks, the Executive Director of Neferock Development Initiative (NEDI), Ayo Nefertiti told participants that the heat from the flare contains poisonous substances that are dangerous to human health.
She admonished the oil and gas companies to halt flaring of gas in order not to further endanger the health of the people of the host communities, even as she charged them to provide urgent measures to cushion the harmful impact of the flare on the communities.
In his presentation, the resource person, Mr. Sunny Oyoroko educated the participants about the safe and convenient method of drying tapioca, fish, meat, snail, fruit and vegetables without exposing one’s health to hazard.
Oyoroko further stated that community leaders could galvanize efforts to procure ovens and or dehydrator for use in the community to dry tapioca, stating that such venture would protect the health of the members of the community from the hazardous effects of gas flare.
Speaking, Mrs. Roseline Whisky and Mrs Hope Odirin commended the organisers of the training and promised to sensitize other women in their communities to embrace a safer method of drying tapioca rather than gas flaring method.
Executives of other collaborative Nongovernmental organisations including Mr. Fred Nohwo of ACERD, Mr. Richard Benin of CODAF, and Mr. Collins Newuwumi of PCEI contributed their perspectives to enrich the training.
