News
Senate counsels FG, Nigerians on hazards of carbon monoxide
Senate has encouraged all Nigerians to henceforth use and install carbon monoxide detectors, especially alarms in their motor vehicles, houses, dwelling places, offices, workshops and factories for preservation of their lives from hazardous effect of the dangerous gas.
It also directed the federal government to create awareness through radio, television and newspapers, among Nigerian workers and employers on the importance of the detectors for preservation of lives and good health of Nigerians.
The Senate resolutions followed a motion to that effect by Senator Gbolahan Dada, APC-Ogun West during yesterday’s plenary.
Presenting the motion, Dada noted that “apart from deaths occurring from various security challenges in the country, many Nigerians are also losing their lives to devastating effect of carbon monoxide in motor vehicles, houses, offices, workshops and factories on daily basis”.
He said: “Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. It has no smell, no taste and no sound. It is also difficult for persons inhaling it to detect same. When inhaled, some of the signs are dizziness, nausea, headache, confusion and ultimately, death.
“Carbon monoxide is a by-product of combustion. Exposure to this danger occurs through gas fires, oil burning furnaces, portable generators, charcoal grills, etc”.
He quoted a report published by Global Burden of Disease 2015 Update, which stated that “86,353 people died from unintentional poisonings worldwide in 2015 with 78,054 (90%) deaths occurring in low and middle income countries. However, if the global estimates of the numbers of intentional poisonings were freely accessible, the poisoning mortality numbers would be higher”.
Dada added that statistics shows that between 1999-2010, a total of 5,149 deaths occurred from carbon monoxide poisoning in United States and said it’s certain that Nigeria recorded a high fatality figure of carbon monoxide poisoning during the period in question if adequate records are kept by the authorities.
The lawmaker lamented that presently, “there is nothing on ground to create awareness on the devastating effect of carbon monoxide most especially in work places and factories where innocent workers are exposed to this time killer almost on daily basis”.
While urging the upper legislative chamber to prevail on necessary ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs to create awareness through the mass media among Nigerians in order to preserve their lives, warning that if nothing is done, innocent Nigerians will continue to be exposed to avoidable health hazards likely to terminate their lives untimely.
Contributing, the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, APC-Kebbi South, lamented that many lives have been lost to carbon monoxide emission, adding that except in cars which has oxygen to diffuse its effects.
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