# Roseline Konya

Roseline Sonayee Konya is a Nigerian academic and a politician from Khana, Rivers State. She is a professor of Toxicology and Pharmacology at the University of Port Harcourt.

## Quotes

* There are several toxins that come from oil exploration activities that devastate the environment.
** Effects of oil exploration on Ogoni communities (28 April 2015)
* The fight against oil pollution cannot be won except toxicologists are actively involved, they develop safer chemicals that will control pollution.
** How to win pollution battle (2015)
* Several harmful chemical go into the environment on exploration. I encourage the toxicologists to be proactive. If we do not do something now, soon our waters may become lifeless.
** Speaking at Niger-Delta Voice at the 4th International Conference of the West African Society of Toxicology
* Toxicologists are not supposed to come into work when the damage has been done to the environment, rather they should be actively involved to work alongside the oil explorers so that all chemical wastes would be handled appropriately.
** The need for toxicologist to get something done about the environment earlier before it gets worse (April 2015)
* The sources of soot are; refineries, fertilizer companies, illegal refineries, setting ablaze of illegally refined petroleum products by the military, tire burning, gas flaring, meat roasting with used tires, asphalt plants refuse to burn among others.
** Speaking at the decision making to set up a technical committee to address the sources of soot. after a detailed consideration of the report of the Scientific Committee. (27 May 2019)
* Ogoni communities were very susceptible to the precarious toxins.
* The chemicals inappropriately disposed into the environment have an irreversible effect and Ogoni communities are disposed to this.
* There is lack of sound chemical management in Rivers state, especially Ogoniland. Oil management is taken for granted. As oil creates jobs, so also it has caused pollution by throwing toxic material into the environment.
* I advice the people of the state and Ogoni to plant more trees in the environment, it helps in redeeming the environment. I also propose a collaboration of the scientists and toxicologists.
* The State Government arrived at the decision to set up a technical committee to address the sources of soot. after a detailed consideration of the report of the Scientific Committee.
* The State Executive Council went ahead and appointed members of the Technical committee for purpose of the implementation of the report of the scientific committee.
* Rural dwellers are the first to suffer from threats of ecosystems either by pollution, climate change or over-exploitation.
* Billions of rural people around the world spend every working day connected to nature and appreciate fully well their dependence on natural water supplies.
* They are among the first to suffer when ecosystems are threatened whether by pollution, climate change or over-exploitation.
* Nature’s gifts were hard to value in monetary terms. Like clean air, they are often taken for granted at least until they become scarce, such levity had resulted to the environment’s degradation at the detriment of the rural people.
* Economists, as parts of their contributions, are developing ways to measure the multi-trillion-dollar worth of many so-called ecosystems services, the ministry was reviewing and updating its extant laws for the enforcement and achievement of best environment practices including green economic policies.
* It has come to the notice of the state government of the sudden appearance of strange black soot deposit noticeably seen on cars and rooftops in our environment especially in Port Harcourt and its environs. The public is hereby advised not to panic as the Ministry of Environment has duly dispatched its officials to different locations in the state to monitor and locate the source of the black soot for prompt action.
* It is apparently obvious that the state government cannot decontaminate the airspace, but it can put a stop to this pollution if the source of the soot is located. Consequently, the public is hereby urged to complement the effort of the state government by assisting to look for the source of this strange soot.
* Collaboration with relevant stakeholders, multi-national oil companies and security agencies is key in the fight against Soot in the State.
* The current increase of prostate cancer among men as well as cervical cancer in the women were mostly caused by Soot particles due to the bombardment of the atmosphere.
* The inclusion of security agencies and International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the Civil Society Groups on the Committee by Governor Nyesom Wike during the inauguration was a deliberate attempt by the present administration to end the menace.
* I commend the GOC and his officers for their great efforts so far.