The Rivers State Government has called for the collaboration of citizens and security agencies to end illegal crude oil refining in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, made the call during the presentation of prizes to winners of the ministry’s #Our-State-Our-Responsibility theme song competition in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Wednesday.

Nsirim regretted that illegal refining popularly known as ‘kpofire’ in local parlance has led to incessant fire outbreaks and environmental pollution in Port Harcourt and other parts of the state.

He said, “Hardly any day passes that you will not get reports of incidents of fire outbreak and investigations have revealed that most of these fire incidents are results of stockpiling of adulterated petroleum products.

“Government cannot stop this trend without the cooperation of the citizens and the law enforcement agencies.

“We are appealing that we need to do something that as we enter into the new year, let us have a collective resolve as a people to ensure that our environment is not polluted anymore.

“It should concern everyone. Apart from the fire hazards that we are experiencing, the health implication of what we are seeing in Port Harcourt today is something that should worry anyone living and doing business here in Rivers State.

“We cannot be our own enemies. We must collectively fight this syndrome. The hazard we are facing is becoming worrisome.

“If you live and do business here in Rivers State, this ‘kpofire’ syndrome should concern you and I think the time has come for us to put an end to this menace.”

The commissioner charged the media to engage in public enlightenment against illegal oil refining in the state.

He explained that the idea behind the second phase of #Our-StateOur-Responsibility advocacy is to mobilise stakeholders to be part of the new Rivers vision.