Environmental infractions: Ogun shuts three industrial companies
By Omobolaji Adekunle, Abeokuta
The Ogun State government has shut three companies in the state for various environmental infractions.
The companies shut down include Robust International PTE Limited, Ruili Recycling Limited, Mowe, also in Mowe and Star Pipe Limited, Sagamu.
Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya while announcing their closure said, “Ruili Recycling- pet bottles recycling company was found guilty of discharging its wastes and storm water into their immediate environment especially in the premises of Christopher University which exposed the students to avoidable danger as well as its refusal to obtain a drainage approval to properly channel the unwanted water to appropriate place.”
“Aside from this, the company was also discovered to be burning all its solid wastes within its premises contrary to the state’s Environmental Laws thereby exposing its workers and residents of its immediate communities to toxic and hazardous pollution as well as operating in a filthy environment,” the Commissioner said.
Oresanya stated that the company illegally demolished a fence bounding them with the same Christopher University so as to reclaim some portion of land and subsequently divert all storm water to the premises of the institution as well as their failure to heed government’s directives for proper remediation.
He emphasised that the state government will not fold its hands and watch the two industries expose the students of the institution and residents of their immediate communities suffer from their careless environmental infractions while they feel unconcerned.
For Star Pipe Limited, Sagamu, Oresanya said the company was shut after they refused entreaties to install effluent treatment plants into their facilities as they discharge raw and hydrochloric acid into their immediate environment.
This he said has led to contamination of ground water of these communities which has made the water unsafe and unhygienic.
The Commissioner added that the three companies will remain shut until they correct all the lapses detected as the state government is not interested in closing them down but for them to operate according to the best global environmental standards which the state government has adopted.
