The Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) hosted a team of experts from the Federal Ministry of Environment on Monday, November 6, 2023, to sensitize its staff and customers on the dangers of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), a type of Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) that can cause serious health and environmental hazards. The awareness campaign was part of Nigeria’s commitment to the Stockholm Convention, an international treaty that aims to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment. Nigeria is one of the 151 countries that have signed and ratified the agreement. Engineer Fausat Aminu, the Principal Chemical Engineer and project management unit of PCBs at the Federal Ministry of Environment, explained that PCBs are synthetic organic compounds that can be found in electrical equipment such as transformers, capacitors and switchgears. She said that PCBs are highly toxic and can cause cancer, damage reproductive health, and affect the immune and nervous systems.

She cited a sad story where some beancake (akara) sellers and fish fryers in some locations in the country were using oils from transformers that contained PCBs, unknowingly exposing themselves and their customers to the harmful chemicals. She said that this awareness campaign is a national effort and YEDC is a key stakeholder in the process. She urged YEDC to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to remain safe and decontaminate affected equipment using the right measures.

The session also featured questions and answers from the participants, who sought clarity on the PCBs and the best ways to remedy the situation.

Mr. Salisu Mas'ud, Head of Regulatory Compliance at YEDC, appreciated the team of the Federal Ministry of Environment and assured them that this sensitive information would be cascaded to every unit, especially the technical team of YEDC. He also thanked the guests for coming to YEDC and assured them of collaboration.

He said that YEDC is committed to ensuring the safety of its staff and customers, as well as protecting the environment from pollution. He said that YEDC would comply with the regulations and guidelines of the Stockholm Convention and work with the Federal Ministry of Environment to achieve the objectives of the treaty. ”