The Federal Government of Nigeria has concluded plans to start conducting emission tests on vehicles imported into the country.
Dr Yakubu Baba, Registrar, Environmental Health Council (EHCON), revealed this at the unveiling of “Vehicular Testing Device” by 3DATX Africa, a US based NGO, in collaboration with the council on Thursday in Abuja.
According to Baba, the development is aimed at ascertaining the vehicles’ emission level, ensuring drastic reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission and ultimately ensuring improved public health.
He said the technological device provided by 3DATX was informed by recent discovery of dangerously high vehicle exhaust level in the country.
Baba said that the project was at no cost to the government but rather international partners.
He identified the gesture as part of the efforts of the Federal Government to meet its commitment to the Paris agreement of reducing GHG emission by 2030 being a major contributor to climate change.
Baba said that the project was conceptualized by the council saddled with the mandate to look at the issue of air quality monitoring in the country.
“The Federal Ministry of Environment has been providing air quality monitoring station in states and strategic locations, but this is the first time we are bringing a smart portable device to monitor GHG emission in Nigeria.
“One of the indicators we going to drive at the ministry of environment level is to make sure that vehicles that are coming into the country pass through the vehicular emission testing.
“The state and local governments will be responsible for managing those vehicles through replacement of parts, services among others.
“So, this is going to be a win-win situation for Nigeria, and we believe this project will be one of the projects that will be so realistic as far as meeting up with Paris agreement is concern.’’
The registrar said the council’s concern about the project resulted from the public health implications of greenhouse gas emission.
“Visiting major cities in the evening when the traffic is high you will discover a lot of dust and emission of so many particulates in the air.
“These particulates cause lots of upper respiratory track diseases, cancer and other medical illness,’’ he said.
The registrar said the vehicular testing project would be scaled up in six pilot states within the six geopolitical zones.
He identified some of the states as FCT, Cross River, Abia, Kano and Borno.
Matthew Suleiman, General Manager, 3DATX, said the reason for the test was to identify the problem and then advise the driver on best source of fuel, mechanic among others.
Suleiman identified device as sophisticated technology used to measure gas emission from vehicles
He said that a lot of Sulphur was discovered in fuel of number of vehicles tested describing this as dangerous.
“Our system or device allows us to measure GHG emission coming from exhaust pipe; we can measure hydrocarbon particulate matters among others.
“GHG is also affecting the public, is a silent killer so we have to do something about it as a nation,” he said.
Dr Edwin Edeh, Technical Officer, Public Health and Environment, World Health Organisation, lauded the ministry of environment and EHCON for the initiative to look at possible solution for quantifying GHG emission.
He said the organisation would provide support and clinical guidance adding that WHO target was to see that the health quality in Nigeria was within its permissible limit.
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