Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has read the Riot Act to those operating illegal refineries and exacerbating environmental crisis in the State.
He argued that they are responsible for the black soot menace in the State.
In his New Year message, the governor directed council chairmen to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites and shut them down immediately.
He ordered the chairmen and community leaders to locate, identify and report to his office all persons behind illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities for prosecution.
Wike said the directive stemmed from failure of the Federal government and its security agencies to stop act.
He said: “As a state government, we have drawn the attention of the Federal Government to this problem and requested for its intervention to stop the activities of illegal bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners, which have been identified as the main sources of the soot pandemic.
“Unfortunately, the Federal Government has remained inexplicably silent over our request and even complicit to a large extent with the security agencies actively aiding, encouraging and protecting the artisanal refiners to continue with their harmful activities unabated.”
Wike said his government had appealed without success to persons engaging in this illegal business to consider its negative effects on the economy, environment, public safety and public health and disengage from it.
Wike assured that his administration would continue to do its best to meet the aspirations of citizens for a more peaceful, safe and secure society throughout the Year 2022.
He said: “We will continue to pursue our objectives for a stronger and more sustainable economy centred on fiscal discipline, revenue growth, job creation, and improved standard of living for all residents.
“We will continue to accelerate our development with the sustainable delivery of quality roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and other socio-economic infrastructure and complete all ongoing development projects across the State.”
The governor reminded all government recognized traditional rulers that they were at all times, subject to the authority and directives of the state government and not to other allegiances, culture or otherwise.
He said: “Therefore, the consistent absence of some first class traditional rulers, especially the Amayanabo of Okrika, the Amayanabo of Ogu, the Amayanabo of Kalabari and the Gbenemene Nyo-Khana from participating in state functions is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated.
“Should they, therefore, continue to absent themselves from state functions or in the regular meetings and activities of the State Traditional Rulers Council, we would have no option than to direct their immediate replacement.”
The governor commended the security agencies for working round the clock to make and keep the State peaceful, safe and secure throughout 2021.