24th May, 2013
The Lagos State Government has shut down two churches and six companies over cases of environmental pollution in various parts of the state in southwest Nigeria.
Officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, shut the affected places after serving them abatement notices, which they failed to comply.
The enforcement was led by Mr. Kayode Bello, Director of Enforcement, LASEPA, with a back up from the police.
The churches and companies shut include Eureka Metals Limited and Primlaks Galvanising Industries located at Ladipo Oluwole, Ikeja; Christ Victoria Chapel at Iyana Ipaja; and Christ Chosen Church of God, Onipanu.
Others are Wingham Furniture, Abule-Egba; Tin Oil Limited, Muritala Mohammed Way, Yaba; Ikorodu Industrial Steel, Odogunyan, Ikorodu and a bakery in Mushin.
Christ Victoria Chapel and Christ Chosen Church of God were shut over noise pollution after they were warned to abate the nuisanceand they failed to do so.
Primlaks Galvanising Industries in Ikeja was shut for emitting particulate matter and black soot into the environment, thereby polluting the area as well as extreme noise pollution, while also discharging and releasing hot slurry/sludge waste from the furnace into the environment.
It was also observed that the company had poor spent oil management, leading to discharge into public drainage; poor ventilation and exposure of staff to heat and poor aesthetics of environment.
LASEPA General Manager, Engr. Rasheed Shabi, said the company’s action constituted health hazard to workers and contributed to the environmental degradation, thereby contravening the provisions of LASEPA Law of 2003, which attract appropriate fines and penalties.
The company was fined N5 million and given seven days to remedy the situation, but it failed to comply, which eventually resulted in its closure on Thursday.
Another company, Eureka Metals Limited committed the same offence as Primlaks. The company was ordered to install an abatement plant to adequately collect the metallic particulate and soot emitted into the environment; install noise dampers around machines/equipment and generators and adequate collection of spent oil to prevent its discharge into the environment. The company failed to carry out the order, which led to its closure.
According to Shabi, after warning the affected companies, “their proprietors went about sending people to us. There is nobody above the law. Before we reopen them, they must put our recommendations in place.”
He stated that government would not in any way compromise the laid down standard and laws of the state governing pollution of the environment.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga