The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) on Monday sealed no fewer than 17 industries in Southwest Nigeria for various environmental pollution offences.
The Southwest Zonal Director for NESREA, Mr Elijah Udofia in company of the Oyo State coordinator, Mr Toyin Obagiri, speaking with newsmen after the sealing of the facilities in Oyo State said the facilities were sealed for violating environmental regulations.
Udofia added that the enforcement exercise was ongoing nationwide.
NESREA is an agency of the Federal Ministry of Environment saddled with the responsibility of enforcing all environmental laws, guidelines, policies, standards and regulations in Nigeria: prohibiting processes and the use of equipment or technology that undermine environmental quality; as well as enforcing compliance with provisions of International Agreements, Protocols, Conventions and Treaties to which Nigeria is signatory.
Since inception, the agency has carried out numerous projects, programmes and activities to enable it meet its mission of inspiring personal and collective responsibility in building an environmentally conscious society for the achievement of sustainable development in Nigeria.
NESREA’s compliance monitoring and enforcement activities are structured and carried out based on the provisions of 33 National Environmental Regulations.
Mr Obagiri said that in Oyo State, a soap industry, Alcanah Limited, Oluyole Industrial Estate, Ibadan, was sealed for non functional effluent treatment plant (ETP).
Also sealed and shut down were two quarries: Platinum Asphalt and Crushing Company Limited, Ibadan, for non-submission of environmental audit report (EAR) and Vielfach Project Limited, Ibadan for lack of statutory environmental documents.
Mr Udofia noted that over the years, the agency has been reaching out to the regulated community through its compliance monitoring and enforcement activities to encourage voluntary compliance and advise them on how best to carry out their respective operations.
“It is worrisome to note that despite repeated sensitization, some of these facilities and industries have refused to comply with the provisions of the environmental regulations.
“Despite the series of Notification of Concern Letters and Abatement Notices issued to these industries and facilities to enable them carry out their operations and activities in an environment-friendly and sustainable manner, some of them have refused to adhere.
“The Agency has therefore embarked on a nationwide enforcement exercise to bring an end to the gross negligence and non-adherence to set standards and regulations by some industries and facilities whose activities pose threat to the environment.
“The level of impunity exhibited by these erring facilities must not be allowed to continue.”
“NESREA therefore enjoins Nigerians to serve as environmental watchdogs by reporting facilities who carry out activities which are detrimental to the environment.”
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