Oluwatoyin Adegoke
Ogun state government has sealed off the premises of a metal recycling company in Sagamu area of the State, for releasing contaminated oil into the environment.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ola Oresanya told newsmen that the recycling company had deliberately punctured holes at the back of its structure to discharge the contaminated oil into its immediate environment, instead of installing retention tanks within the premises for treating the bad oil and other solvents.
Mr Oresanya maintained that the company’s management had also refused to heed several warnings from the government to desist from the practice which had continued to cause grievous harm to people living around the area.
The Commissioner pointed out that the state government would conduct strict assessment to establish the extent of the environmental damage done to the community, especially the percolation of the contaminated oil on underground water, to determine whether any remediation could be done.
“By doing this, the management of Maths Metal has not only caused pollution but has committed criminal act that are punishable under the Ogun State Environmental Sanitation Laws as their deliberate action has adversely affected residents of the community living around them”, Mr Oresanya said.
The Commissioner said the recycling company would be made to bear the cost remedying the damage caused while the government would consider other corrective actions to serve as a deterrent.
He warned other industries operating in the state against pollution and other environmental infractions, saying the state government would not hesitate to protect the residents from environmental hazards.
The Commissioner emphasized that any consultant that connived with companies to violate the rules would be blacklisted by the state and reported to the relevant federal authorities for possible sanctions.
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