… Says No Cause for Alarm
The Lagos State Government has assured residents, especially people living in Agege and Surulere parts of the State, that there’s no cause for alarm over the air quality index of the areas reported on Tuesday by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA)
LASEPA, in its weekly air quality index report released on its verified X page on Tuesday, ranked Agege and Surulere as the areas with the most hazardous and very unhealthy air quality, respectively, in the state.
In the report, Agege had a score of 103.1 per cent (hazardous), signalling suboptimal air quality for residents. Surulere came second with 76.1 per cent (very unhealthy), Mushin with 47.3 per cent (unhealthy), and Kosefe with 46 per cent (unhealthy).
While easing the residents’ fears over the report, LASEPA General Manager, Dr. Tunde Ajayi stated that the weekly air quality index report was part of the agency’s measures to raise public consciousness on the need for safer Environmental practices to reduce emissions for healthy living.
He explained further that the air quality index report of different areas is something that must be monitored and updated on an hourly basis, adding that the presence of poor air quality in an area at a particular time does not mean that the area cannot be measured for better and improved air quality in a few hours later, once there is an improved environmental behaviour from the residents of that area.
“For instance, Agege, which was on 103.1 per cent of (hazardous) air quality on Tuesday, is on yellow today Thursday, meaning that there has been an improvement in the environmental activities in Agege between then and now.
“This is the reason we said, the index report is not meant to create fears in people but to create awareness on the need for better and improved environmental practices for healthy living”, he added.
Ajayi noted that poor air quality experienced in some places like Oshodi, Agege, and Surulere may not be unconnected with various environmental abuses such as vehicular and industrial emissions, bush and refuse burning, untreated effluent discharge, burning of tyres and discharge of toxic gases into the atmosphere, among others.
He, however, assured that his agency is working tirelessly to enhance the state’s air quality, noting that there is no need for panic but improved environmental practices that could reduce emissions for public safety.
The General Manager, while explaining some of the efforts being made so far to improve the air quality index in the State, disclosed that the State government has recently launched the Lagos State Carbon Registry, which will help to monitor and report emissions from industrial organisations for reliable data on emissions.
Ajayi explained that reliable data on the carbon registry would allow industrial organisations to trade their carbon for credit, thus reducing gaseous emissions emanating from manufacturing activities to the barest minimum when its operation fully begins.
In addition, Ajayi further disclosed that the State government has installed 20 additional air quality monitors across the State, thereby, increasing the number from 23 to 43
He added that his agency is already working in collaboration with some organisations to digitise fish smoking activities in the State and burning of cow skins with tyres at abattoirs, which he said was aimed at reducing smoke and other environmental abuses capable of depleting the ozone layers further.
The LASEPA boss, therefore, urged the residents to always be conscious of what they do to the environment, and abide by the regulations and sustainable environmental practices for healthy living
