5th March, 2012
The Lagos State Government has ordered an agro-allied chemical company, Kojem Consortium Nigeria Limited, to relocate following reported cases of amino-acid chemical spillage at Anthony area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
Officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, shut down the company on Olatunji Ayoola Avenue, Anthony, at the weekend over complaints by authorities of Green Spring Nursery and Primary School, located close to the company that the amino-acid spillage was affecting children of the school.
LASEPA General Manager, Rasheed Shabi led a team to the company at the weekend and ordered it to relocate to the Small Scale Industrial Estate, Matori area of Lagos as government would not condone establishing a chemical company in an area where there were schools.
“We will not allow chemical sale located near a primary or high school in the state because of sensitivity of chemicals as they contain bacteria which can be dangerous to children,” he said.
He stated that the government would impose severe sanction if the company fail to relocate.
Shabi said the firm had invited a fumigating company to fumigate the area to mitigate the impact of the spillage, adding that a large quantity of amino-acid spillage could lead to respiratory problem.
“We have asked the company to move to the Small Scale Industrial Estate, Matori. These chemicals have environmental health challenge. The company is cooperating with us,” he stated.
Spokes person of the company, Amaka Nwoga, admitted that there was a spill but said it was not enough to affect pupils in the school as it spilled in the open air.
“I cannot perceive the harshness of what they are saying,” she said, adding that an accident was bound to occur, while appreciating the effort of the state government in coming to salvage the situation.
According to her, if the chemical had spilled in a closet, it would have been a different challenge entirely.
By Kazeem Ugbodaga