Environment

Ogun Shuts Schools over Toxic Gas Leak Scare

By Web News 369

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has ordered the immediate closure of Our Lady of Apostles Primary and Secondary Schools in Ijebu-Ode after a gas leak left 30 students and two teachers hospitalised.

The governor also directed a full-scale investigation into the incident, mandating security agencies to determine the cause of the leak.

Through the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Ola Oresanya, the governor approved the establishment of a situation room at the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, to provide free medical care for affected students and residents of nearby communities, including Makalewo, Ogbogbo, Molipa, Igbegba, Ikoto and Oke-Aje Market.

Governor Abiodun said findings from the investigation would inform measures to prevent a recurrence.

The government urged residents to remain calm and dismiss fears of any security threat linked to the gaseous release.

It added that safety officials, alongside a team from the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, OGEPA, have deployed gas analysers to trace the source of the emission.

The incident occurred shortly after morning assembly at the school, when an unidentified gaseous substance caused breathing difficulties, vomiting and fainting among students and staff.

Victims were rushed to the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, where authorities said most had stabilised, while the substance responsible had yet to be identified.

Edited by Maxwell Oyekunle

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Environment

OGEPA Begins Emission Control March 1st

By Web News 432

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke 

Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, OGEPA, has concluded arrangements for the takeoff of Vehicle Emission Control in the state towards mitigating the negative effects of vehicle emissions on the environment.

Special Adviser to the governor of Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, Mr Farouk Akintunde stated this during a stakeholders meeting with the transportation industry in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, saying the test would commence across the state by 1st March 2025.

According to the Special Adviser, there would be designated centres within the state, where the emission test would be conducted for all types of vehicles including cars, trucks, motorbikes, buses and tricycles.

On his part, the Commandant, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE, Seni Ogunyemi, called on the transportation unions in the state to embrace the scheme which was for the good of all citizens of the state.

 In his remarks, Ogun State Commander, Vehicle Inspection Office, Engineer Ademehin Olugboyega said that vehicles that fail the emission test would be referred to the Vehicle Inspection Office, VIO for further testing and advice.

Speaking on behalf of other transportation unions in the state, the Secretary of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Comrade Tiwalade Akingbade, expressed their unalloyed support for the success of the scheme, while appealing to the government to support the transportation unions in converting to CNG enabled vehicles.

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Environment

Ogun Shuts Industries over Environmental Violations

By Web News 618

By Francisca Irekpita

Ogun State Government through the State Environmental Protection Agency, OGEPA, has shut down four industries for environmental infractions.

The companies affected are Colourful Africa Recycling Limited, Dinshengyuan Plastic Company Limited, Long Xiang Aluminium Nigeria Limited, all located along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Yilbao Plastic Nigeria Limited on the Abeokuta- Sagamu Expressway.

The Chairman of the Ogun State Taskforce on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement, who also doubles as a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Environment, Mr Farook Akintunde said the step was part of measures by government to promote environmental best practices in the state.

Mr Akintunde explained that Colourful Africa Recycling Limited was found guilty of operating in the state without obtaining the required environmental approval as well as discharging untreated waste into the environment while Dinshengyuan Plastic Limited was equally found to be operating without necessary environmental approval and not providing Personal Protective Equipment to its workers, thereby exposing them to environmental hazards.

He revealed that Long Xiang Aluminium Nigeria, manufacturer of aluminium products, was found culpable of incessant discharge of untreated effluent into the environment and continuous operation despite earlier government “Stop Work Order” while Yilbao Plastic Nigeria Limited which is into collection and recycling of used PET bottles into flakes was equally guilty of unabated pollution and poor waste water management.

The OGEPA boss stressed that all entreaties, warnings and timelines giving to the companies to correct the infractions were not adhered to and the state government had no option than to shut them for overriding public interest.

He further warned that any industry who falls short of environmentally laws would not be spared as the state government was determined to enthrone best environmental standard among Industries operating in the state.

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