By Yemi Olakitan
In order to keep the air clean and free from pollution, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency has urged ‘ponmo’ lovers in the state to consider reducing their consumption to keep the air quality of the state clean and healthy.
Speaking exclusively with our correspondent on Friday, the General Manager of the environmental agency, Babatunde Ajayi disclosed that burning of cow skin in different areas of the state releases carbon emissions into the air which are very harmful to humans.
Ponmo is made by burning cow skin. This involves burning the cow skin for an extended time on fire before it reaches the perfect texture. Thereafter, the roasted skin is washed several times and boiled for several hours to soften it.
According to cleanairfunf.org, air pollution caused by traffic and congestion, biomass fuel burning and shipping are major threats to sustainable growth in Lagos.
Speaking against the backdrop of the data on air quality that the state agency released, which showed that the air quality was below healthy, Ajayi, said agricultural emission contributes to poor air quality.
The data by LASEPA across the 22 areas measured found that the air quality in those areas ranged from moderate to unhealthy with Agege, Akoka, Ojo, and Ketu topping the list of areas with the most unhealthy air quality.
Revealing how agriculture causes massive carbon emissions in the state, he said, “Some areas are purely agricultural. This includes animal farming particularly the processing of hides and skin.
“The burning of cow skin in Agege would account for a huge amount of carbon emissions. So, if you like ponmo, you are causing a major problem to the air quality of Lagos.”
Ajayi added that vehicular emissions also contribute to the poor quality of air in the state. “Lagos has a very high volume of vehicles on the road, larger than most cities in Nigeria, so they are a major culprit,” he said.
“The second is industrial emission. Many of these areas have several kinds of industries. The entire Lagos has pockets of industries in different regions. So, in regions where you have high concentration, they will have poorer air quality.
“Thirdly, would be commercial or residential emissions from generators. Every household probably has a generator. The emissions from those generators depend on their quality, how frequently they are serviced as well as the health of the generator.”
Just as actions are being taken to curb noise pollution in the state, Ajayi said efforts are being made to address air pollution in the state. The general manager revealed that it had engaged the private and public sectors as well as individuals on ways to curb it.
The general manager while speaking with our correspondent suggested ways to contain the emission.
He advised realtors and house owners to plant trees as it is known that trees absorb some of the carbon that is emitted into the environment.
He further advised persons who own many cars to learn to limit the usage of cars by carpooling instead of using all available cars at once as it would reduce carbon emissions.
In the same way, he campaigned for the use of solar energy over generators insisting that solar energy is cheaper in the long run, especially with the high cost of diesel.
“So, instead of putting on generators for seven hours, if you have solar panels run for three hours, that saves us,” he said.
On the impact of bad air quality on residents, Ajayi, who is a medical doctor, remarked that unclean air increases the risk of one suffering from asthma, runny nose as well as cough while it can also lead to chronic respiratory issues if not effectively managed in the long run.
The state government had earlier called on residents of the state to be cautious and make conscious choices as data reveals moderate and unhealthy Air Quality Index in some parts of the state.
Data released on Thursday by AirQo Africa revealed that parts of Lagos State, including Lagos Port, Apapa; Ita Elewa, Ikorodu; LASEPA, Ikeja; Oshodi; Ikeja General Hospital Road; UNILAG Research Lab; LSDPC Estate, Ebute Metta; Egbeda and Ikotun had a moderate air quality index, which is said to be fair but might affect sensitive individuals.