NAN-H-18
Harmattan
By Chidinma Agu
Lagos, Dec. 29, 2016 (NAN) Prof. Peter Nwilo of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Thursday called for adequate watering of farms and gardens, to ensure the survival of crops during harmattan.
Nwilo, of the Department of Surveying and Geo-informatics, UNILAG, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that dry season farming was not done on a large scale in the country.
He advised those who had planted crops in their farms and gardens to take the watering of the crops more seriously at this period, to ensure their survival.
“The harmattan, which is also part of the dry season, brings a lot of dust and dry air from the Sahara Desert.
“If crops are planted in the farms and gardens without adequate watering in the morning and evening, the crops will not survive.
“There may even be issues with pest infestations of the crops, because the environment is conducive for them to multiply.
“So, those who have planted any crop at all should take care of it very well,’’ the university teacher said.
Nwilo said that harmattan had negative effects on the environment generally, with poor visibility and extreme dryness which affected humans and animals, as well as non-living things.
The professor urged people to be extremely careful in whatever they do at the period.
“Drivers, both private and commercial, should be careful while on the roads because of poor visibility.
“It is advisable for people to travel more during the day and also put on head lights when everywhere is hazy, to alert vehicles coming in opposite direction of their presence.
“ It is a time for people to be health conscious too, as there are also different kinds of sicknesses, diseases and health issues,’’ he said.
The don said the intense harmattan dry air also affected buildings and its finishing like doors, roofing materials among others.
He said that the weather could also cause combustion of inflammable materials and could escalate incidents of fire outbreak.
Nwilo said that this period was a time to take care around electrical poles, as any small thing could cause a spark that could result in loss of lives and properties.
The professor said that electricity companies should be mindful of the power surge and fluctuations, to avert fire outbreak this period.
He said there was need for government agencies to be alert and up and doing, to guard against fire incidents. (NAN)
ACA/FLP/SOA
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Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Oluwole Sogunle