NESREA, cancer and the rest of us One disturbing trend that is undeniably gaining a hold on our society today is the increasing cases of people dying of cancer. It was never like this before. I remember a time in the not-too-distant past when the word, cancer, as far as Nigerians were concerned, existed only in the foreign media or in the dictionary. In fact, it was perceived by many as either a disease of the “oyinbo” or of the very rich and privileged of the society. But today, even the poorest of families can count the people they have lost or who are currently suffering from the traumatic malady. This is why the man in the street will immediately tell you that the disease is pervading our society today because of the ever-increasing number of wait-and-take food and snacks we presently consume — most of them imported. Although this debatable layman’s diagnosis might not be far from the truth, there is now one cause of cancer that has been scientifically proved beyond doubt. This is diesel engine fumes. In June 2012, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organisation, classified diesel engine exhaust as carcinogenic to humans, as sufficient evidence had shown that exposure was associated with an increased risk for lung cancer. It classified the risk in the Group 1 category. It also noted that there was a positive association (limited evidence) between diesel exhaust and an increased risk of bladder cancer. A large population of the world is exposed to diesel exhaust in everyday life, whether through their occupation or through the air in the immediate environment. People are exposed not only to motor vehicle exhaust but also to exhaust from other diesel engines, including from other modes of transport, like diesel trains and ships, and from generators. Here in Nigeria, almost every street is “decorated” by externally stationed giant generators with continuously smoking exhaust pipes because of epileptic power supply. What is more, diesel-powered trucks that are never serviced, ply our roads with long trails of black smoke. Given the IARC Working Group’s rigorous, independent assessment of the science of diesel emissions and this clear and present danger, governments and other decision-makers have a valuable evidence-base on which to consider environmental standards for diesel exhaust fumes and to continue to work with the engine and fuel manufacturers towards those goals. However, we must face the truth that many developed nations over the past two decades have been researching on this matter and entrenching regulatory frameworks and actions to contain the problems in their various countries. North America, Europe and some countries had successively introduced tighter emission standards for both diesel and petrol engines, which were also pointed out as having some carcinogenic components. The sad situation is that trucks and other vehicles that do not measure up to the new environmental standards of these foreign nations are quickly shipped to Nigeria and other developing nations; and considering the population and demand proclivity of our nation, Nigeria is surely the most targeted destination for these cancer causing engines. This is exactly why I find it utterly unbelievable that a Nigerian could describe the actions of the National Environmental Standards Regulations Enforcement Agency in clamping down on errant communications network providers as “anti-developmental”. When NESREA recently closed down some Base Transceiver Stations in Plateau State while mandating all operators to ensure that their facilities complied with laid-down regulations especially site specific Environmental Impact Assessment certification, some telecoms industry players quickly urged the Federal Government to caution the agency over what they described as “disturbance of telecoms industry growth”. The problem with most of our businessmen is that they focus only on money in everything they do with a total disregard for the safety of the environment and by extension, the citizens of this nation. And these bad eggs are encouraged by the weak government institutions set up to monitor their activities. In the Western world, any company that puts financial interest above the people with a sense of impunity runs a high risk of losing the business in a very short time. Over there, the people and the environment come first in governmental considerations. I believe it is high time we woke up to the reality that there are a lot of toxins out there, invisible yet active, in the air, in the water and in the things we touch. Granted, it is in the nature of many to choose survival instead of safety, let us also remember that the key attribute of human civilisation is planning for safety and comfort ahead of mere carnal survival. If not, we would all be as the beasts in the bush – fighting to feed. When the government was sensitising citizens to the dangers of living under massive overhead pylons of the national power grid, I wondered why the affected people would not see the present risks under which they sleep and wake up every day. Minus the radiation that emanates from these power lines, the mere hazard of coming and going under high voltage of electricity – especially during these days of increasing rampages from the effects of climate change – is enough to make any sane man scurry for safety. A germane risk is that of situating telecoms masts without regard for the people living around them. During last year’s rains in Lagos, masts were falling like pies from the sky during rainstorms. In the Western world, these masts are well-hidden away from places of high human traffic. Institutionally speaking, I am encouraged by the steady progress we are making as a nation in the matter of environmental regulation. Over the years, the government institution has evolved from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency to today’s duo of NESREA and NOSDRA. I am also aware of the soon-to-be established Environmental Safety Corps, which shall more or less be a government environmental vigilante group. In view of these, we need more inter-agency partnerships between these bodies so that the nation will feel a more concentrated impact. But above this, we need a public/private sector partnership now more than ever before in order to drive an innovation-based environment sector in Nigeria, which is now becoming a critical sector because of the ongoing manifestation of the adverse effects of climate change, and some other pollution-induced hazards. It is note-worthy that NESREA has shown remarkable propensity for adopting this best practice. About two years ago, it publicly called for private sector players to help establish emissions testing centres around the country. I hope this process is ongoing, because of the promise it holds for the nation’s socio-economic polity. However, now that lung cancer is killing people that never smoked, our government must wake up to this task of ensuring the safety of Nigerians. The best way to go is to identify new strategies which will make the campaign private-sector driven. Like I always maintain, people are easily amenable to change when they are sure of the pecuniary benefits in the adoption of a new lifestyle, be it in the short or long run. According to the advice from specialists regarding diesel emissions, there is a strong interplay between standards and technology. Standards drive technology and new technology enables more stringent standards. For diesel engines, this requires changes in the fuel such as marked decreases in sulphur content, changes in engine design to burn diesel fuel more efficiently and reductions in emissions through exhaust control technology. In Nigeria, a proved fuel efficiency technology which guarantees less spending on diesel while safeguarding the health of citizens will be a veritable driving force for a paradigm shift to a cancer free atmosphere. This is a call to NESREA to remain strong in its resolve to clean up the long-overdue dirty Nigerian environment, and to the Nigerian citizens to adopt sustainable consumer lifestyle in order to ensure that we all leave a ‘legacy of life’ for Nigerians yet unborn. Our future is in our hands.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:20:21 +0000
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