Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency OGEPA has sealed five industries for alleged environmental infractions, as part of its efforts at enthroning effective environmental compliance
The affected companies include Nixim Paper Limited, Long Xiang Aluminum both at the Sagamu axis of the Lagos -Ibadan Expressway,New Shidai Manufacturing Limited,Mowe in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area and two unregistered companies operating illegally in Ogere axis of the Lagos -Ibadan Expressway.
Chairman of the Ogun State Taskforce on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement who doubles as a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Alhaji Farook Akintunde who led the enforcement team to seal the companies said they were shut down after the Environmental Protection Agency received petitions from their immediate communities of their incessant discharge of untreated waste water into the environment.
"This was confirmed by OGEPA which issued a Stop Work Order for them to stop production and correct the anomaly.Instead of them to obey the order,they ignored it and continue to degrade the environment with the discharge of their harmful untreated waste water into their immediate communities"
"The state government was therefore left with no options than to shut them down in the overriding public interest and compelled them to stop their harmful environmental practice as it was also discovered that they don't have Effluent Treatment Plants ETP which they must have and installed to stop their incessant and harmful waste water discharge", he explained
Also speaking on the closure,the Special Adviser to the Governor on the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency OGEPA,Dr Oluwadare Kehinde said the company would now be forced after several warnings to abide with waste water regulations in the state which according to him, is crucial at preventing water pollution and maintaining water quality standard.
"OGEPA will not compromise on this as it will continue to to demand from industries best environmental standard in all they do as enunciated in the Ogun State Green Book which contains the laws guiding environmental practices in the state", he maintained
For the two unregistered companies sealed along the three others,the Special Adviser said they must do proper registration with the state government and fulfill other operational obligations before they can be allowed to operate in the state.
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